Hello, Guys and Girls! This is my first fan-fiction, so please go easy on me! This is just a Prologue to the story; I would love to hear any criticism! Good or bad, I don't care. If you would like to hear more from me, I'll definitely put in longer chapters. I enjoy writing, and I hope whoever reads this enjoys my writing! On a side-note, I know this type of story is common, I just didn't know where to start! I don't have the most creative brain, so please bare with me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Or any of It's characters.

Kakashi sighed; his long drawled-out mission was finally over. He wiped the sweat off of his face, and glanced around him. Pulling his hitai-ate down over his gift-eye. This moment was definitely not something he would like to remember.

The ground was littered with bodies. Both enemy-nins and his comrades were lying where the ground had once been. "Kami, Why am I always the last one left? First it was Rin, and then-" a bloodied hand of a dying enemy-nin that had grasped for anything it could grab, had brought Kakashi out of his rather depressing thoughts and back into the real world. He turned to look at the poor guy grabbing for his sandal, who was like the others, lying on the ground and covered in blood. "P-please.. Spare me-" and before the man could speak another word, Kakashi had already slit his throat. Blood had once again spilt onto the forest floor. He was never one to be very merciful.

Taking one last glance around him, and checking for any other survivors, he headed in the direction of Konohagakure; His home. Despite how tired and how much chakra he had used, he slowly made his way to his destination. He figured that Hiruzen wouldn't get too mad at him if he had just gone straight home and slept. Besides, he wasn't hurt too badly, and it was almost two in the morning. The old man himself, would probably be sleeping.

Just as Kakashi was about to reach his destination, his apartment; He heard a tiny squeak down the alley he was walking by. Still a bit jumpy from his mission, like most shinobi were after these types of missions; Kakashi nearly jumped out of his skin. "It's probably a mouse… Or a cat… Or a-" Kakashi was once again brought out of his thoughts. This time it wasn't a hand trying to reach for his shoe, it sounded like crying.

Kakashi stood at the end of the alley, peering into it, seemingly searching for the creator of these sounds. His one eye adjusted to the darkness, looking for anything moving. He locked on to a small box, it was upside-down, and definitely covering something. As Kakashi walked towards it, making sure not to trip over any of the garbage littered around in this seemingly endless alley-way. As he got closer to the box, Kakashi could smell it. The smell of dirt, blood, literal crap and garbage grew stronger. He bent down next to the box, preparing to see a rat, or a squirrel. But what he did see once he lifted the box; nearly made him break down into a fit of crying, and anger.

It was a little boy, no older than four, who was curled up tightly into the fetal position. His once sunshine yellow hair was now dirt and blood covered; giving it a brownish-redish tint. The boy's clothes were no better. Kakashi assumed that his diaper hadn't been changed in a week, and he wore a previously white shirt that was just barely clinging to his body, the little boy's shorts weren't any better, either.

The gray-haired shinobi stared in anger, not at the boy, but at whoever had let this happen to the boy. This boy was the Yondaime's son for Kami's sake! He should've been treated as a hero! Kakashi was starting to glare daggers as he was thinking of all of the things he would do to the people who had done this to the poor, defenseless boy; when Naruto, who was that said boy, had looked up to Kakashi, and immediately tried to scamper away, quivering and whimpering.

Kakashi's face softened as he looked to the boy, attempting to reach out to him, before realizing that his own hands and clothes were covered in blood. "Shit, What do I do? I don't want to scare him!" the older man flinched away, watching how the little boy had tried to get away. "Don't worry, Naruto. I'm not going to hurt you." Naruto continued to cry, and sniffle. Profusely trying to get away from the 'big scary man' before hitting the end of the alley, his back against the bricks, he didn't want to get beaten again. Kakashi sighed, knowing it wouldn't be easy trying to get Naruto to come with him. "Come with me, Naruto. You'll be fine." The little boy shook his head over and over. Kakashi reached his arm out to him, trying to show him that he didn't pose a threat.

After five minutes of head-shaking, comforting, and crying, Naruto had finally calmed down. He had simply given up, and curled into a ball, again. Quickly, Kakashi grabbed Naruto and held him tight, making a promise to himself, and Minato, that he would keep this child safe.

Hey, again. If you enjoyed the prologue, or if you didn't, I would love to hear from you! I've just started to write, so I'll take any advice I can get!

~Novimber