4. Begging

The corridors were still that night. Days after days of continuous funeral processions and ritual incense quieted even the winds.

Argument after argument had tired out the couple. Yet it was better when they were arguing.

They laid on the bed backs facing each other.

Itachi and Sasuke were fast asleep in another room. The responsibility of taking care of Sasuke had fallen to Itachi. He wanted to keep Sasuke away from the yelling.

Mikoto was a hysteric mess.

Postpartum thoughts, Fugaku's frequent absence, rumours and the unhealed stitches exacerbated her anxiety. All the worst scenarios played through her mind haunting her.

She had tried to be understanding. She really did. But each time she heard people crying outside the clan's courtyard walls, she'd be reminded of that child in the cot.

It had been two whole days and a half since they spoke to each other.

The last they spoke was when Mikoto screamed at Fugaku about a divorce after he returned two days later without any contact. Her disheveled appearance and constant nagging made Fugaku berate her in anger.

Theirs were hearts separated on ends of the oceans and their bodies separated on the ends of the bed. Those few centimeters were like an impossible chasm.

"Fugaku. That child will die."

Fugaku stayed silent. She was too far for him to hear her cries.

"He'll die, Fugaku."

No answer.

"Kushina's and Minato's child will die!" Mikoto screamed as she got up to face Fugaku's back.

"Fugaku."

Deaf ears.

"Fugaku!" She crossed that chasm and held onto his clothes and sobbed.

"Fugaku, they'll starve him," she rested her forehead on his arm, "they aren't feeding him, Fugaku."

"I'm begging you, Fugaku. Let me at least breastfeed him."

Hiccup.

"Please, Fugaku. I have Sasuke so I can feed him my milk. There's no other woman in Konoha who is willing to feed him, Fugaku!"

She sobbed away over Fugaku's side. "And the nurses! They're giving him half a bottle just twice a day! He's a baby, Fugaku. Fugaku, please. Please. Please!"

"Hic! Uwagh. Sniff. Hic!"

"We'll not adopt him, Fugaku. I'll not ask to adopt him anymore. Just let me feed him along with Sasuke, please! I'll just nurse him till he is four months old," she sobbed.

'Hic- hic!'

"I'll stay under any surveillance they ask. Even if they want to watch me bathe naked I'm willing! Just let me feed him and Sasuke, Fugaku! If not that, then let me just feed him and I can get another lady from our clan to feed Sasuke until then."

Sasuke was almost two months old now.

"Fugaku, everytime I feed Sasuke, I remember him. I remember Kushina. She spoke to me just before- before she- she even wanted Sasuke to be friends with him!"

"There's no one else there for him, Fu-Fugaku... "

Fugaku could no longer hold it. He got up still facing his back to Mikoto.

He had tried. He had even used up all his connections to find a way to get custody of Naruto. Even finding Naruto a family or getting him a willing wet nurse who was lactating was proving to be impossible.

Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, also had his hands tied up. The council of elders and most shinobi were glaring down his back determined to not let Naruto get into the Uchiha's hands.

There were also unspoken accusations against him and his clan that they were the ones who used their Sharingan on the Kyuubi no Kitsune and controlled it to attack Konoha.

"Where were the Uchiha when the Fourth Hokage was fighting the Kyuubi?"

We were defending the civilians after evacuation.

"Why was the Sharingan visible in the eyes of the Kyuubi when it was rampaging?"

We don't know.

"Why didn't you come to help the Hokage fight the Kyuubi?"

We received orders to not approach.

"Do you have any specific for asking for the Kyuubi no Kitsune?"

He's the child of our sworn brother! A baby!

No matter what he said to clear their name, no one listened and newer accusations kept piling up against them.

'They might be thinking of getting full control of the Kyuubi!'

'The Uchiha caused this mess!'

'They will definitely use the Sharingan to cast a Genjutsu over the Kyuubi to do their bidding!'

All sorts of curses were muttered under the breaths of Konoha Shinobi and civilians alike.

And the council was dead set on reducing the power of the Uchiha through them. All at the cost of that child.

He didn't miss their sly glances. Yet, none of the Uchiha besides Mikoto were allowed to even come near him. They feared the Uchiha so they wanted to get rid of them. None of them could look past the history of their ancestors.

Both the Uchiha Clan and the Uchiha Police Force were kept under tight scrutiny. One wrong move and they'd have a civil war on their hands.

Fugaku's lips trembled at the thought of Minato. Minato, the Fourth Hokage. Minato, the one who sealed away the Kyuubi in exchange of his life, his wife's and his child's future. Minato, that damned man doomed to suffer within the belly of a death spirit.

"I'll go to the Third Hokage again, Mikoto," he spoke finally, "I'll go ask him for six months."

He was as desperate as Mikoto. He put on his coat and left for the Hokage's office under Mikoto's dull gaze.

-----

Clang!

The heavy steel door gated shut.

Mikoto was allowed to keep Sasuke with her for the period that she would also be nursing Naruto.

She had no idea how Fugaku convinced the council.

She was provided a barricaded room within the ANBU headquarters and would be kept under tight surveillance round the clock by female agents. There would be one agent present with her at all times.

The room contained a single bed, a table and a large crib with a bathroom attached without a door for privacy.

There were no windows or cupboards. Just one shelf welded into the wall.

There were baby products on the shelf and the bed was bare with only a sheet for the mattress. She was given a maternity gown similar to a hospital gown. Prior to entering, she had to endure a humiliating and a very invasive pat down and change into that set.

Yet she was relieved that she got this chance.

Sasuke was blissfully asleep in her arms. She lay him down on the bed with a few extra quilts and went to check the cot.

The baby inside was lethargic and motionless. He wasn't crying because no one heard his crying. A baby would cry because they received a response from their caretaker that they were listening to them.

He simply laid there tired of asking for some sustenance and warmth.

His diaper was soiled but no one changed him. Mikoto was horrified. She felt a deep, deep fear that if she delayed anymore, he would definitely be gone.

She held in her burning anger and smiled at Naruto.

Slowly, she picked him up to change him and feed him. Unfortunately, Naruto was unresponsive. His breathing was shallow. He didn't even move a little and his heartbeat was barely discernable.

It took Mikoto four days to stimulate Naruto to suckle. When he began to properly drink willingly, she was overjoyed.

Sasuke was placed together with Naruto in the crib in hopes that they would feel each other's warmth and stimulate each other. The two of them would now be milk brothers.

Slowly, learning from Sasuke's loud cries for milk and his needy whines for Mikoto's arms, the thirty seven days old Naruto finally let out his first real cry.

And this time, he got a reply back.