Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto than Minato, Kushina, Zabuza and Haku would be alive, Akatsuki would be friends with Naruto and he and Itachi would be together. So obviously I don't own 'em. What I do own is any OC I choose to add and the plot used.
The start of the story is inspired by the song: He's my son by Mark schultz, listen to the song while you read for a better feel.
A small five year old race down the streets of Konoha, blood trailed down his arms, to land of the floor. His clothes were torn in various places, and hair matted with both fresh and old blood.
Tear marks stained his cheeks and eyes red and puffy. Behind him a mob of ten to fifteen people were chasing after the single child, curses leaving their mouth.
A strangled cry left the blonds mouth as he was knocked to the ground by a fist. Crying, the blond pleaded for them to leave him alone. But the only answer the boy recieved were cruel laughter as they continued to beat him.
Two figures ran over, a man with bright blond hair and blue eyes, beside him was a beautiful woman with tomato red hair and sparkling blue eyes that shone with tears.
She fell beside the blond boy and cried out for the crowd to stop as heartbreaking sobs escape her lips. Her cries and pleads for the mob to leave her son alone went unheard as they continued to beat the helpless child.
Minato glared hatefully at the group, yelling at them. Cursing, anything but everything went unheard. Tears gathered in his eyes as he dropped to his knees beside his wife and cried for the pain his only son was expirencing.
"Do something. Minato." Kushina sobbed as she tried to wrap her arms around her son, to sheild him. "Why are they doing this to him?"
Naruto's cries of pain were echoed by his parents, as they could do nothing but watch him suffer. "Please, stop!" Kushina buried her face into her sons neck.
Minato closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his wife. He prayed to every God he could think of to help Naruto. He knew that without a physical body there was nothing he or Kushina could do for their beloved son.
"Hey, what's going on here?" a crow masked ANBU growled out as he leaped over the gathered mob to land in front of them. He glanced from the group to the boy lying in a pool of his own blood.
A snarl formed on his lips, that went un-notice due to the mask he wore, as he turned and glared at the group. Black eyes shifted to red, black tomoe's spun wildly, "You'll pay for hurting Naruto-kun!"
Minato and Kushina looked at the ANBU who was defending their son. Turning towards her son, Kushina ran her fingers through his hair, "Naruto, your going to be alright." she cried, "Crow-san, will protect you now."
Crow turned after dispatching the last of the mob and hurried towards the small blond boy. "Naruto-kun?" Crow whispered as he caressed the boy's face. "You'll be fine, Naruto-kun, I'll get you to Rin-chan, she'll heal you." he whispered, carefully picking the severely injured boy into his arms and took off. He'll tell the Hokage about the dead civilians after he was sure Naruto was alright.
Minato and Kushina followed, eyes trained on their son. "Who do you think he is Minato?" she whispered. "He looks young, only a few years older than Naruto if I had to guess."
Minato nodded his head, "An Uchiha, he had the Sharingan. I think he might be Itachi-kun, he was a talented child. A pacifist at heart much like his cousin Obito. And his about the same age."
Crow raced into the ANBU headquarters heading towards the medical ward, on the way he passed several other shinobi's all unmasked and lounging around, until they saw Crow running in with their favorite blond.
"Naruto!" came various cries.
A gray haired male bolted up and ran towards Crow "What happened, Crow?"
Crow glanced at Kakashi, "A mob attack. Can someone alert the Hokage and tell him there are about fifteen dead civilians near Haruka's clothing store. "
Genma nodded his head as he and Hayate vanished to go and tell the Hokage as Crow, with Kakashi and Shishi raced towards the medical wing. "Is Rin there?"
"Yeah, she left a while before you came in. She said something about paperwork." Kakashi answered as he eyed the blond boy, "Is that all his blood?" he whispered. fear gripping his chest.
Crows arms tightened before relaxing and he nodded his head, "Yes. When I happened upon them, Naruto-kun had already been knocked out and lying in a pool of his own blood, yet they continued to beat him."
Kakashi gritted his teeth from behind his mask, "This has to stop. The villagers and the few shinobi's who harbors hatred for Naruto, due to the Kyuubi needs to see the truth. That Naruto is a five year old boy and not a thousand year old fox demon. And they will learn, even if cost them their lives. They can't keep punishing Naruto for something that wasn't even his fault."
Shisui and Itachi nodded their heads and as they reached Rin's office, Kakashi entered while Itachi and Shisui headed towards one of the medical rooms.
"Rin." Kakashi called out, gaining his teammates attention, "Naruto needs help. Itachi rescued him from another mob attack. This one is worse than any of his previous ones."
"WHAT!" Rin yelled out, furious, leaping from her chair she ran towards the nearest room, Kakashi behind her.
Entering it, the young healer nearly burst into tears at the sight of the boy she considers a little brother, seeing as the blondes father had been her sensei, she knew Kakashi felt the same way.
The team had been like a family. And she was heart broken with the death of Obito then both her sensei and his wife a few years later. She couldn't lose Naruto as well, she didn't think she could handle it, if the boy died. And she knew Kakashi, Itachi and Shisui would be just as deeply afftected as she.
Hell, everyone is the ANBU would. after all they were the ones who took care of him whenever he was sick, lonely or hurt due to one of his beatings, and if they could, they would have adopted him a long time ago. But all of them were blocked and denied by both the civilian counsil and the elders.
Rin approached the bed, her hands glowing green she did a full body scan as she healed the boy, "Two fractured ribs on either side. severe internal damage. One of his ribs had been very close to piercing his lungs, one more kick to that area would have done just that.
His right shoulder is dislocated and his wrist, sprained, his left leg is broken as is his right arm. Gashes on his chest and back. Bruises. His head seemed to have severe trauma as well." she whispered towards her companions. "They did some serious damage this time. And I'm scared to find out how much they afftected him mentally."
Kushina sobbed into Minato's chest as she listened to Rin recite all the damage that had been inflicted upon Naruto. The Yondaime Hokage closed his eyes and gripped his wife, tears falling from his eyes.
The group of ANBU's had gathered and was sitting out in the hall, listening in horror at every cry of pain and screams that tore itself from the boys throat, even in his unconsious state.
Yugao hugged Hayate, hiding her face within her lovers chest. Anko had her head buried in her lap while her shoulder shook. Raido patted the girls shoulder as he closed his eyes trying to block out the cries from the operating room, as was the deal with the rest of them.
They hated the fact that Naruto had to suffer so much because the people in the village were blind fools.
Rin shook her head. trying to stop the tears. It wouldn't do for her to burst into hysterics while she was trying to save her little brothers life would it. Grasping the boys shoulder tightly, she yanked it back into place, causing a cry of pain to escape the blond as tears fell from his closed eyes.
"I'm sorry Naru-chan. Your almost finish." She whispered, soothing the blond as she wrapped the boys shoulder tightly in bandages while casting both his right arm and his left leg and wrapping his right wrist.
Walking towards the sink area, Rin grabbed a bowl filled with warm water along with a rag and headed towards the bed and started cleaning the blood, dirt and grim off of the small boy.
"Minato-sensei, Kushina-chan, I know you must be hurting a lot seeing your son suffering so much. And if you are watching us, you should also be aware that we are trying our best to protect him, but..." Rin bit her bottom lip as tears gathered in her eyes.
"Everything seems so useless. Naruto does not deserve this. I wish...Sometime I wish I could just take him away. So far away from here. Away from the unfounded hate and the beatings that are being directed at him."
Shaking her head, Rin stood up with a sigh and walked towards the sink and desposed of the bloody, dirty water and tossed the rag into the trash.
Before leaving the room, Rin placed a kiss upon the sleeping boy's forehead and left to tell the rest of the group what was going on.
As she left, Kushina headed towards the bed and sat beside her baby and held his hand tightly, tears gathering in her eyes as she felt Minato wrap themselves around her.
The former Hokage closed his eyes, He had never asked anyone for anything. Especially not the Gods, they hadn't been much help to him growing up. He remembered praying a lot back then but it seemed no matter how much he prayed, the Gods just refused to listen to him.
So he stopped asking for their help. But, for Naruto, he'd try to ask the Gods one last time for help. Help for himself. Help for his wife. And help for his son who needed him the most.
Minato gripped his wife tightly before releasing her. It would seem the lovely red head had cried herself to sleep. Turning dark blue eyes glanced at the bed, reaching out, the ex Hokage ran his hand through his sons blond hair and caressed his face lightly.
"I'm so sorry Naruto. It's my fault that you have to suffer so much. I should've never burdened you with this responsiblity, but I had no other choice. Your mother had been the Kyuubi jinchuriki before you and before her was another Uzumaki, but they never went through any of this. I don't know why they are treating you so badly, Naruto." tears gathered in Minato's eyes.
"If I could, I would trade places with you. I'd shield you from all of this hate and abuse. If only..." Minato fell onto the bed and cried.
"Hokage-sama..." Crow turned to look at his leader, pale hands clenched into fist. "This can't continue. He is not safe here and there is only so much that we can do. We've been lucky thus far that someone has always been there when mobs or a drunken person started beating Naruto-kun, but today, it was cut very close, had I not just returned from a mission, no one would have known about the attack, and Naruto-kun, very well could have died even with the Kyuubi's healing and there is only so much that fox can do."
"Itachi is right. Sandaime-sama" Shisui spoke out, eyes never leaving the room, where Naruto lay. "Today's attack could have been worse. It's time that the boy takes his heritage. There will be no way the villagers will harm the last Namikaze, besides didn't Kushina-hime's younger brother contact you about his nephews where abouts."
Coal black eyes turned and stared at his leader, "What if you had him and a team of Whirlpool shinobi's here to help protect Naruto, especially since we can't always be with him due to missions. Though, I suppose, Itachi, Kakashi, Rin and I could always stay with Naruto-chan, at the mansion."
Kakashi and Rin nodded their heads, "Kakashi and I know the Namikaze estate like the back of our hand, Sandaime-sama. And who better to look after Naruto but the people who had known both his parents. And the boys future spouse and family member."
Itachi turned and glared at the female. "Silence yourself Rin. I'll have you know..." the heir of the Uchiha clan started only to be cut off by an amused looking Hatake.
Kakashi smirked and turned to look at the younger male, "Don't deny it, Itachi. Everyone knows that you care about Naruto greatly. And in a different way then the rest of us."
Shisui grinned and patted his younger cousin's shoulder, "Yes, Ita-chan, don't deny the truth, just embrace it. Though you do know nothing serious can happen until Naruto-chan is at least fifteen."
Itachi glared, "I'm not a pedophile nor a pervert so get your head out of the clouds and back down to earth where it belongs. Or when I become head of the Uchiha clan, I'll ban those perverted books that you love so dearly from the compound and when everyone asks why, I'll tell them, it was all your fault."
Shisui's eyes widened, "You can't do that!" he protested "Especially not Jiraiya's yaoi edition of Icha Icha. You know, he had been inspired by you and Naruto-chan."
Rin, Anko and Yugao, being the only females present turned and glared at Shisui for his comment, "What do you mean by that, Shisui. Naruto is five years old. Jiraiya maybe a super pervert but even he has a limit..." Rin trailed off and turned to look at the Hokage, "Doesn't he? Jiraiya wouldn't dare to write a fantasy book on a five year old and a ten year old, would he?"
The Sandaime sweatdropped, "Knowing Jiraiya, I wouldn't put it passed him. He is a super pervert after all."
"But..." Yugao brow twitched "His five years old and Itachi is only ten. That damn pervert should learn where the limits are. It's bad enough that he uses adult woman, now his even using little kids. What a pig!"
Itachi frowned and glared at Shisui, "How do you even know that Shisui?"
Shisui smiled and pulled out a book from his holster and raised it. On the cover of the book was a long dark haired male whose back was the only thing visible, his arm was raised and pressed against a tree trapping a short blond figure as he leaned forward.
"He wrote a small dedication inside." grinning the laid back Uchiha ANBU flipped the book open and turned to a specific page and held it up again.
Itachi narrowed his eyes and read the words, 'This book is dedicated to my beloved and most adorable godson Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto and his future lover Uchiha Itachi. I had been greatly inspired to create this after watching these two boys interact and if you enjoy this first edition wait for more in the future as I plan to make a part two when my godson and his lover reach the right age to do other things...hehe'
Anko produced a kunai and twirled it around her finger. "When that pervert returns, his going to wish he hadn't. How dare he uses my favorite brat as a bases for his perverted fantasy." the snake mistress hissed.
Yugao and Rin nodded their heads in agreement.
Itachi glared at the book, "All the more reason for me to ban them." he ignored his cousin's useless pleading and whinning.
"Alright." Rin called standing "We should leave. But someone should stay the night with Naruto-chan." she called turning and smiling at the Uchiha heir. "Thanks for volunteering, Itachi." with that said the rest of the group left while telling the Crow to watch over their precious brother and to not take advantage over him.
Rolling his eyes, Itachi stood up and walked towards the door and opened it. He stood their silently and just watched the blond on the bed.
Walking towards the bed, Itachi took a seat on the opposite side of where Kushina and Minato sat. Both of the appriations stared at the young boy as he watched their son.
"Minato-sama, Kushina-sama." he spoke gently, black eyes shifting into red, his tomoes spinning wildly, "We are trying really hard to protect him. But it's getting harder with every year. I fear for him and I see what no one else can. I see how tired he is. How scared he is and no one, especially not a child as young as Naruto, should ever feel like this. And I wish that he could see you so he knows how much you both love him."
Itachi looked up into two startled pair of eyes, "He thinks the both of you hated him. That you absndoned him because his a monster. It took every one in ANBU to reassure him that the both of you loved him more than anything and you wanted to be here for him."
"You...you can see us?" Kushina whispered.
Itachi nodded, "I saw you when I first arrived and rescued Naruto, I didn't say anything than because I didn't want to draw attention to myself, which is also the reason I ran to the base instead of teleporting."
Minato nodded his head, "Is it because of the Sharingan?"
"No, I don't believe so. I have always been more spiritually aware than anyone in the clan. Hokage-sama, Shisui, Kakashi and the others could as well if they tried." Itachi placed a hand over Naruto's "And Naruto. He will be able to with the proper training. His told me several times that he thought he felt someone hugging and comforting him even though no one was there."
Itachi looked over at the Yondaime, "The first time he told me was a few months ago. Naruto had been crying from the villagers crude words in the middle of the village. He said, he felt someone in front of him, holding him. I believed it was you, Yondaime-sama."
Minato nodded his head, he remembered that day. He was so upset as he watched the villagers treatment of his son. And how they ignored him, even as he stood their crying. He had kneeled before his son and wrapped his arms over his shoulder.
"Yeah. I wish the villagers would just leave Naruto in peace."
Kushina opened her eyes and stared at her baby. "What if Nanjirou were to come to Konoha? My brother would protect Naruto, or have him go to Uzushiogakure with Itachi and the others."
Itachi nodded his head, "We were actually planning on sending word for your brother to come to Konoha with a group of Uzu shinobi's to help us protect Naruto better."
Kushina leaned forward to kiss her son's forhead, "Have a good sleep, my little prince, for soon your uncle and your people will be here to help protect you as well."
Minato smiled and looked over at Itachi, "I want to thank you Itachi." he called out gaining the said Uchiha's attention, "For helping Naruto and defending him as fiercely as you do."
Itachi nodded his head, "Naruto is precious to me, to us at ANBU HQ. We'd move heaven and earth if it could protect him."
Blue eyes turned and watched as the red of the sharingan faded to reveal pitch black pools of the abyss and smiled at the Uchiha heir. He knew, that this boy, he would be something great. He could just feel it.