*Spoilers* References Naruto's mother (though not by name) and something about her that is revealed in chapter 498 of the manga. Oh, and Kakashi would be about 14 here.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, this is just for fun.

For the first time in years, Kakashi stared into the face of adversity and felt completely unequipped, incapacitated. Sudden and traumatic losses had, unfortunately, become almost a second nature to him at this point, the most recent of his scars only having a few days to begin healing. He had adapted to the painful shocks, but this new helplessness was something else, something that slowly sapped away at the will that held him together. His exhausted mind railed against what seemed a hopeless reality, unwilling to make room for the outcome that loomed before him.

Mikoto was scanning the street for the right building, a block away when she first heard the bloodcurdling scream of the child. Panic flooded her veins. She raced down the road and up the stairs, bursting through the door . . . only to freeze in place, the sharp edge of a kunai pressed against the tender skin of her throat.

"Talk." a terse voice grunted in her ear, the attacker gripping one of her arms tightly behind her at a painful angle. The adrenaline still swamped her system, draining her processing abilities as her mind frantically tried to dredge up the signal that Sarutobi had finally given her. She cautiously formed the sign with her free hand, tensing as the blade wavered for a second before retreating, the vice on her arm loosening. Mikoto twisted to look at her assailant, the silver haired teen practically shaking with nervous energy, his eye red and bloodshot. The baby in the next room broke off his wail to gather a breath, gasping as he let loose another lungful.

"What have you been doing to him?" she glared at the boy, roughly shoving past him to retrieve the newborn. The child's ruddy complexion was pinched in frustration, his small frame showing the early warning signs of malnutrition. Mikoto stroked the soft blond locks, murmuring to the little one and gently rocking him in her arms to comfort him without any apparent success.

"I haven't done anything to him," Kakashi growled, settling against the edge of the table. "He won't eat, he won't sleep, I've tried everything I can think of, but he won't calm down. He hasn't stopped crying for the three days since I took custody, except for the few hours that he passes out from exhaustion. I'm starting to wonder if the Kyuubi is doing something to him."

"He had plenty of exposure before he was born, he should be used to it's chakra by now," Mikoto warmed a bottle, entreating the newborn to swallow something, even just a few drops. The tiny fingers fisted against her, his head twisting away from her advances. She couldn't understand it, neither of her own boys had ever shown this much distress, even after a few days without the familiar comfort of her voice. A realization struck her like a ton of bricks and she handed the child to Kakashi. She held the image in her mind, her hands flowing through the seals as she offered a silent prayer for luck. "Henge!"

The elder boy's eye widened with understanding as she lifted Naruto, cooing to him gently with his mother's voice. He finally began to relax, bathed in the scent he recognized and gripping loose strands of long red hair in his fist. After about ten minutes his breathing had slowly returned to normal and Mikoto managed to coax him into taking the bottle. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a wave of relief wash over Kakashi, the micro-movement invisible to any but a trained observer.

The young jounin protested when she suggested that he try to get some rest, refusing to budge until he knew that his charge had been seen to. The infant quickly drifted off, unconsciously gumming the bottle as weariness took him, and Mikoto again handed him over. Kakashi thanked her profusely, seeing her out with her assurances that she would return in the morning once things had calmed down. He gently laid Naruto in his little bed, turning out the light and crawling under his own covers as he looked at the boy in the pale moonlight, a tired smile forming as he let sleep sweep over him.

(A/N) Haven't quite decided if I'm going to extend this yet or let it stand on it's own, leave a review if you want to offer your opinion or motivate me to write more. If you like this story then check out my related fic "Babysitting", it takes place in the same reality/universe.

Thanks for reading! ^_^