AN: Enjoy.

He was alone for so long. Alone and empty inside. The compound he lived in simply empty and a silent reminder of his failures. Of the toll life would take from him every time he sought out happiness. His own birth had taken his father's after all. He had killed his mother coming into the world, insured his father loss the love of his life for a son that would scorn him. That would drive him to take his own life when it finally became too much.

He should stop his search. See that the price was too high and it was only pain that waited for him. That it was all he would receive in return for letting people in. He needed to learn what was right and what was wrong. He needed to know that he could never be happy, that he was curse for anyone and anything that tried to get close. All he brought was death. So he became an instrument of death. Joining ANBU was his only option, the only way to minimize the damage he could cause to everyone.

ANBU should've numbed him.

Instead it gave him the beginning of his unconventional family.

Uzuki Yugao and Yamato were unexpected. They had been unwanted and unneeded teammates first. He had tried to keep them at arms reach, after Obito and Rin he thought he couldn't get close to anyone else. But they shoved their way into his life like Gai had. Gai who had claimed a guest room as his own in the compound that stopped feeling so empty with him there. They became friends and soon they were living in the compound with Gai.

Seeing the energetic green spandex wearing shinobi never failed to make the day different. He would rope Kakashi into stepping outside his house and force him to see others. To do something besides train and isolate himself. His self appointed rival would have none of it. A rival that would turn into a best friend and a brother despite how their personalities clashed.

The next was Anko. She was lost and confused when they found her. A patrol stumbled upon her and luckily an old teammate was included and recognized her. She had claimed something was guiding her back to Konoha and many jokingly called her a homing snake. Calling her a homing pigeon had left a poor chunin with senbon where senbon should never be.

It was Kurenai who suggested she stay with Kakashi as everything was worked out. There was always someone in the compound and they were all competent shinobi. Even if the rumors of her being a spy were true they could handle her.

Gai embraced her. Figuratively and literally.

("I shall tend your flames of youth until they roar like an inferno once again!")

("Get this spandex wearing creep off me!")

Yugao took a liking to her.

("Nice hair.")

("Same.")

Yamato stuttered and blushed around her.

("You really shouldn't walk around like that. People might get the wrong idea.")

("What don't like what you see?")

("Ihaveamissionrightnow! Bye!)

Kakashi understood her.

("It's not your fault.")

("It wasn't yours either.")

("I could've...")

("You're a thousand years too soon to stop someone like that bastard.")

They were different yet the same. Both had seen the consequences of being judged by the village for the actions of another.

They bonded together and while their relationship wasn't perfect, it was right for them. Allowed them to be with someone who understood everything.

Minato and Kushina hadn't ever left him alone since day one.

("Thanks kaa-san.")

("Run Kakashi!")

("What?")

("Just trust me and run!")

("Just let me dye his hair Minato! He'll be so cute as a red head.")

("Run!")

("Hai sensei!")

("You'll be so cute as a red head Kakashi!")

("Don't stop! Don't stop until you're in Kumo!")

They had told him and Jiraiya the news at the same time. Told them their roles. Jiraiya was the godfather but was expected to visit whenever he was in the land of fire. He tried to get it down to Konoha but Kushina would have none of it.

("Run for it sensei!")

("I'll reverse summon you here everyday if I have to!")

("That's not possible.")

("Who do you think helped to design the Hiraishin seal?")

("Running now!")

Kakashi was expected to visit every day he was in the village and would be the older brother. Then Kushina suggested adoption...

("We can still dye his hair.")

("The window Kakashi! Go for the window!")

("Hai sensei!")

("Ha! I replaced them with rubber! Now hold still so this doesn't get in your eyes.")

("We talked about this Kushina.")

("At least let me adopt him. I'm sure Kakashi won't mind. Right Kakashi?")

("He's trying to escape and you're holding him down Kushina!")

("And?")

("Kushina!")

("Someone please help me.")

("Uzumaki Kakashi sounds nice.")

("Kushina!")

Then Naruto was born and was orphaned a few hours later. The Hokage knew how much Kakashi cared and their was pity in his eyes when he told him the news.

("I'm sorry Kakashi.")

He and the others cared for the newborn as best they could with all the tips and advice they could get. Jiraiya giving them everything they could need as he put the village before his own happiness yet again. Devoting every piece of himself into serving the village that raised him. Small gifts being all he could send before he was called away again.

Still Kakashi made sure Naruto would grow up knowing just how extraordinary his parents were.

("You're parents were really special Naruto. They were the bravest and kindest people I knew.")

The pain wouldn't stop though. Looking at Naruto sometimes made it better.

("You're destined for greatness Naruto.")

Sometimes it made it worse.

("You look just like them.")

Sometimes his failures threatened to drown him.

("Tou-san. Obito. Rin. Minato. Kushina.")

The names whispered over and over again in penance as he sought a relief from his pain, the punishment for failing so much in such a short life.

Kakashi threatened to dive back into ANBU. The darker side that turned people into walking corpses. Because corpses didn't feel. Couldn't fail again and again. Be called a genius yet be so stupid. See everything they loved and cared about be taken away one by one. It was for their own good that he began pushing them away. It was his own warped and twisted way of showing he cared. That he didn't want to lose them. That he just couldn't take it if he was honest. Couldn't take losing so much again. He just wanted to dive back into ANBU and forget about the life he could've had. That they even existed. That would keep them safe. The further away from Kakashi they were, the safer they were. His curse couldn't touch them then. Couldn't take their lives like so many others. They could be happy and have a long life as long as Kakashi kept his distance. Kept them safe.

The others pulled him out of his self imposed isolation kicking and screaming. He thrashed and he cursed and he cried but they overpowered him and smothered him with their love. Forced him to see the bright side again.

Forced him to live even when it was so much harder than simply giving up.

They put up with everything he did that had worked before when he just wanted to be alone with his pain. He gave them the cold shoulder.

The only emotion he showed was anger when he snapped at them.

He tried to just push everyone away.

They pushed right back.

He tried to just ignore them.

They made him pay attention.

Finally he gave in. Broke down as everything he had been trying to bury fought its way up to the surface. Luckily it happened when it was just them. When he could put himself in someone's else hands for a change. He didn't need to bottle it all up anymore and just let it out. It took this for him to finally realize what he, what they, had.

What had formed between them all.

Through all they had been through together and separate. What they had formed with each other. The ups and downs. The good times and the bad times.

They were the family they all needed, that they all had lost. It was a replacement but something new. Something formed from their own bonds. Being there for each other and becoming the supports for each other when they needed it.

Kakashi actually pulled them closer, wanting to make sure they were real and there right now. That this wasn't just a dream before it became another nightmare.

"Thank you."

AN: Something different that was hopefully good?

The quotes in parenthesis are flashbacks/moments. Felt like writing them all out would've made this too long. But if you want to see some written out let me know.

Hope you enjoyed, any feedback would be great. PM me or leave a review.