Journey Home

The cool air blew softly through the hanging branches all around the three men, disturbing the vivid green leafs and sending a soft rustling sound all around them, soothing their journey. The man who was the middle in age of the three shifted the youngest on his back a little, gripping the sleeping boy more firmly underneath his legs.

"Do you need help, Minato?" the oldest man said, following closely behind the man as he carried his son on his back.

"I'm fine sensei," the blond haired man answered with a soft smile. "He isn't that heavy."

"You can say that again," Jiraiya grumbled softly. "Always eating nothing but ramen…it's a wonder he's not just skin and bone."

"I'm sure Kushina will fatten him up as soon as she can," Minato chuckled good-naturedly. "She always used to complain about having to cook meals for just me, but its different for him. She won't stop feeding him until he could pass as an Akimichi."

Both men laughed softly as they continued to walk, steadily moving down the well tread forest path.

After the laughter faded, Jiraiya broke the comfortable silence. "Your son fought well, Minato," the silver haired man said softly, so as not to wake the exhausted youth. "You should be very proud of him."

"I am," Minato said instantly, lifting his eyes to look at the sleeping face resting on his shoulder. "Believe me, I am. He's got such a strong heart…I don't think I could possibly be any prouder of him."

"You should tell him that," Jiraiya said earnestly. "He deserves a little recognition after all the work he's done…after everything he's been through."

Minato said nothing, and simply opted to gaze on the peaceful expression of his son. Small traces of childhood still showed in the details of his face, but his jaw had become sharper, and his features were well defined. Tan lids and dark lashes hid the stunning blue eyes from view, but Minato knew without them opening that they resembled Kushina's eyes exactly. Soft steady breaths escaped his partially opened mouth, and the trees around them seemed to sway with his lungs…in, and out…back, and forth.

Sixteen years old…that was how old his son was now. Sixteen. He had changed so much since he'd been a helpless babe, powerless and fragile to the new world around him. He had grown to unbelievable strength in those sixteen years. He'd trained hard, faced obstacles head on, climbed the tallest mountains, and swam the deepest oceans. He'd flown higher than the birds, up into space and touched the stars. He'd struggled and fought to get to where he was now, but finally, at last, it was time for Naruto to come home.

"We're nearly there," Jiraiya said, he too looking at the remarkable boy he'd been able to teach. "Should we wake him up before we arrive?"

"No…he'll wake up," Minato said confidently, finally looking back ahead at the road.

A moment later, true to the Yondaime's word, the blond teenager began to stir on his father's back. His tired eyes cracked open, and he was met with the warm gaze of his father.

"Tou…san?" he murmured softly, his normally loud voice still laden with exhaustion.

"That's right," Minato confirmed, smiling softly at his son.

Sensing someone else nearby, Naruto's eyes slid to Jiraiya. "Ero-sennin…"

"Hello, gaki," Jiraiya grinned down at him. "You sure put up one hell of a fight back there."

Naruto didn't say anything, the wheels in his head still working to piece together the last moments of consciousness. His eyes suddenly widened in realization, and he looked back at his father his gaze hard.

"I…died, then…didn't I?" he forced out.

Minato's eyes turned sad as he looked at his son. "I'm sorry, Naruto," he said gently. "But yes."

Naruto inhaled sharply. "Did I…did I at least end it?" his whispered fearfully.

"I'll say you did!" Jiraiya said strongly. "You blew Madara, Obito, and the Juubi to bits in a single blow! There was nothing left of 'em after your last attack!"

"What about my friends?" Naruto asked desperately. "Were any of them hurt? Were any of them killed?"

"No," it was Minato who answered him this time. "All of your precious people lived. You saved them all, Naruto."

Naruto breathed out slowly, slumping into his fathers hold. Tears pricked from behind his blue eyes, and the fell silently into the fabric of his father's shirt. "I'm glad," he murmured.

"Then why do you cry?" Minato questioned in a hushed voice.

"Because…" he mumbled into the dampening cloth. "I…in a way, I still failed."

"What are you talking about, gaki?" Jiraiya growled. "You saved the entire world, you're a hero to everyone!"

"But…I left them all behind!" Naruto said, and his tortured tone caught both men by surprise. "I went and left them all to defend themselves against whatever may come from now on! Kakashi, Gai, Sakura, Sasuke…Hinata! Because I died, I left them all behind! Because I'm dead, Neji's sacrifice was for nothing! He gave his life so that I could live beside Hinata…so I could support her and our friends! Our village! I never even…made Hokage…" his voice trailed off into nothing as he collapsed into silent tears, his hands clenching in the material of his father's jacket.

For a time, neither of the older men spoke, letting Naruto release his sorrow as they continued to walk, never stopping on their journey.

Finally, when the boy's sniffs had receded, Minato spoke to his son.

"Naruto, why did you wish to become Hokage?" Minato asked him.

Naruto's eyes emerged from their hiding place on Minato's shoulder, and looked detachedly at the ground. "…At first," he began gingerly, "it was because…because I wanted to be acknowledged. I wanted people to…to see me."

"But your reasoning changed, didn't it?" Jiraiya continued on for Minato, encouraging the jinchuuriki with his gruff voice.

"Yeah," Naruto mumbled in agreement. "I wanted to protect my precious people…I wanted to be Hokage so I could keep them safe…through anything."

"And that's exactly what you've done, Naruto," Minato said strongly, his grip subconsciously tightening on the son he'd been stolen from so long ago. "You became stronger than anyone could even wish to be! You stood up for what was right, and you protected the people you loved from harm! You defeated evil, and saved them all! In that final battle of the war, you became a Kage in your own right, Naruto. You saved the people of the entire world, as if the joined nations were all one village, entrusted to you. Naruto…my son…you are a hero."

The tears began anew from Naruto, and this time he wrapped his arms tightly around his father's neck, and both Jiraiya and Minato joined him, tears slipping down their faces.

Together, the tree men cried away the sorrows and burdens of life. They cried the loss of a heartbeat and the people they'd left behind. They cried with joy of the peace their tired souls could finally have. They cried with elation the reunion that had taken a lifetime to reach. They cried…they cried and they cried, and the wind continued to swirl gently around them, caressing their faces and guiding them towards their destination.

"There it is, Naruto" Minato's smile stretched wide across his face as he looked up ahead, his eyes glued longingly on their goal.

Looking up, Naruto saw at last where his father and teacher were taking him. "It…it looks kind of like the gates to Konoha," he whispered in awe.

"Your mother is waiting inside there for you," Jiraiya said in a hushed tone, as he too was unable to take his eyes from the sight.

"She's been very anxious to meet you," Minato told him, and he could practically feel the excitement coming from his son in waves.

Naruto chewed on his bottom lip in anticipation, the traces of his grief still shining slightly on his face. "I can feel her…" he whispered. "We're so close…"

"Welcome home, my son," Minato smiled, and soon Naruto's face mirrored his own.

"Yeah...its good to be home."

Uh…late night inspiration. Not much else to say I guess…I hope you liked it! Please leave a little review if you don't mind! I really would love to hear from you!

~Ducky