A/N: This story just came to me today and I had to write it down. I'm still not sure where it's going or how long it will be, but maybe about five to ten chapters. This AU is set in today's world, only in a weird time (definitely before our times). The characters are a bit different because they have to adapt to a world without ninjas and jutsus and stuff, but I hope that in spite of all I wrote them in a way in which they still have their basic personality.

I'm sorry if this prologue is too long, but I just wanted you to meet my Iruka and understand why he did what he did. More about this at the A/N at the bottom so I don't spoil it for you. Read and enjoy!

Prologue

The streets of Konoha were unusually cold and eerie, even for a winter night. Truth is, this whole winter had been terribly harsh, and had taken a toll on everyone. The fatality rates just kept going up, people rarely left their houses anymore, most shops had been closed for the season, and a number of dead bodies covered the streets in the poorest part of the town, most having died due to the freezing weather or starvation. Between these bodies was that of a woman, a rather young one; she couldn't have been older than 25. She looked almost angelical, her pale, blue-ish skin contrasting with the dark pavement on which she was lying. She was unhealthily thin and dressed in dull, dirty rags, not enough to protect her from the cold. The only color left in her was the string of dried blood coming out of her lips and her big, dead blue eyes. She was an image of decadence, of what Konoha had become that winter. In her arms was a bundle of more rags, and if she had used them to cover herself, she would have probably survived. But they were protecting something far more precious to her than her own life. They were protecting a baby. A baby whose heart was still beating, but barely, and whose blue eyes were just like his mother's, only his were very much alive.

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Umino Iruka was a man loved by many for his kindness and sense of humor. He was one of Konoha's Elementary School's most liked teachers, and children would often find themselves hoping they'd be in one of his classes. He didn't have much money, but he could still afford a comfortable life in a respectable neighborhood. Since childhood, Iruka was never one to get in trouble, and most of the time he ended up helping his friends out of it. What most didn't know, though, is that nowadays Iruka lived a very lonely life, despite counting with the love of his students, for whom he cared for deeply. He had lost contact with most of his childhood friends; actually, he had only one left, but the man was very busy himself and rarely had time for social visits or calls. Once, this friend had told him that if he ever felt too lonely, he should just go downtown and get a whore. He had been kidding, of course, with that sour sense of humor of his, and Iruka had laughed then. But now, in this winter, with classes cancelled and having been submitted to crude self-isolation, Iruka had become desperate for any kind of human contact, no matter how fake. That is why this night he had gotten on one of those old and worn out buses that took their passengers to the most dangerous part of town. He had regretted his decision as soon as he gotten there. There was hardly anyone in the streets, and most were beggars who looked sick with some kind of skin disease, and a couple of women dressed in dirty, trashy clothes made of fake leather and silk imitation. When they winked at him, he felt nothing but disgust at himself, and deciding that he would rather not stay there to wait for the bus that would take him back to his safe, lonely apartment, he started walking in a random direction, hoping that no one would follow him and rob the little money he had.

This pointless walking had gotten him to an abandoned alley and at this point he had begun to curse himself for his stupidity. He would surely get killed here. Everything was absolutely quiet, and a sour, putrid smell filled his nostrils. Immediately, he knew what it was. Death. He saw the corpses immediately. They were sprawled on the cold pavement and against the moss-covered walls of the brick buildings that bordered the alley. Most of their eyes were wide opened in painful horror, as if they had watched how their bodies had given out and started rotting. He knew then that he had to get out there unless he wanted to end up as one of them. He started running back to where the beggars and prostitutes had been, but a small, muffled sound caught his attention. It was coming from one of the corpses; a woman. From what he could see of her face, she had been beautiful. He dared not to get near the dead body, and so he remained a few feet away, contemplating whether he should investigate what was causing the noise or just walk away. Then, the sound became a little louder, and he finally recognized it. It was the wailing of an infant. Without a doubt, he ran towards the dead woman and took the rags-covered baby from her arms. There was some clothing on his face, and Iruka took it off to reveal it. What he saw then shocked him to the point that he stumbled back and almost fell to the floor. The baby's cheeks were covered in opened scars that looked severely infected and, for some reason, made Iruka think of whiskers. They were of a red so intense it almost looked as if the wounds were bleeding. The baby was also very skinny and tiny, and his lips were blue from the cold. Terrified, Iruka wondered how he had survived, for the woman looked at least a few days dead and he looked seriously sick. He had been a bit revolted by the sight, but he could not leave the baby on his own to die. Letting the rags cover his face again, he placed the frail baby inside his jacket, pressed against his chest, and ran even faster to the bus stop. The baby felt so cold against his skin, and Iruka had no time to ponder if the baby's disease was contagious. He had to take him to a hospital right away; he didn't have much time left.

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In the way from downtown to the hospital, the baby, who Iruka had found out was a boy, had fallen asleep in his arms. At first, he had been worried the child had fainted, but the baby's breathing was even and slow, letting him know that he was fine. Watching him sleep so calmly, Iruka was filled with a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time, and for the first time that winter, he was truly content. The notion of leaving the baby once he had confirmed he was healed seemed absurd. Somewhere in the way to the hospital in that broken down bus, that baby had became solely his, and Iruka vowed that he would take care of him and raise him like a son. The baby opened his eyes very slowly, almost as if it pained him to do so, and looked up at his savior with the clearest blue eyes Iruka had ever seen.

"Hey, little one." Iruka found himself greeting the small bundle in his arms. The baby blinked a couple of times. Iruka smiled. "So, how should I call you?" The boy blinked again and closed his eyes, apparently still sleepy. He shifted a little in Iruka's arms, getting himself even more entangled in the dirty rags that were his only protection from the weather. Iruka wrinkled his nose at the clothes, but knew he could not take them from the boy unless he had something to replace them with.

It occurred to him then that he should have checked the woman for any document that stated the baby's name or at least her last name. He didn't feel comfortable giving the boy his own last name since the poor woman that had been her mother and had compromised her own life for her son's would be forgotten. But the sole thought of going through that dead woman's pockets disgusted him, and since he had been so lucky to get away from that place unharmed, he would rather not return. He'd find a good name for the baby in time.

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The Emergency Room of Konoha's Main Hospital was crowded, to say the least. Dozens of sick or injured people were sitting around, and many were standing due to the lack of enough chairs. Iruka went directly to the receptionist's desk, which was very untidy and had a pile of forms that needed to be filled to admit a patient. This proved to be quite a trial since the form asked basic things about the baby that Iruka had no idea about, like if he had any kind of allergies, when had he been born, and what was his name. Maybe he should tell the receptionist what had happened, that he had found the baby in the streets, but would they attend him then? What if they called Social Services and they took the baby away from him on account that he is a lonely teacher living on a minimum wage? No! He would not let them! That baby was his, this was his son. No one would take his son away from him. But… He had to do something. He couldn't fill the form with a bunch of lies. What if the boy was allergic to a medication and Iruka's selfishness got him killed? He had no choice.

"Misu? Misu? Excuse me, Misu?" Iruka started, but the young receptionist seemed not be listening to him. She kept typing away in her computer, occasionally placing more forms on the counter as they ran out. "Misu? Misu!" She finally looked up at him, a bored expression on her face.

"Hai?" She said in an annoyed voice. Her eyes darted to his form and rolled at finding it empty. "Having problems filling the form, sir?"

"Sort of. You see, the patient is this baby." He raised the baby so the receptionist would be able to see his face. The woman tried not to show repulsion at the baby's condition, but failed. "He's not mine. I kind of found him. He's very sick." The woman raised one eyebrow and stared at the man, as if trying to figure out what do with him and the baby. As if there was any other choice besides letting them see a doctor. Iruka then wondered if it was possible for someone to be so heartless as to deny the dying baby in his arms medical attention.

"I-I am very sorry, sir, but we cannot attend this child." Apparently, it was.

"What do you mean? He's sick! He's just a baby!" Iruka demanded, slamming his free fist against the counter and startling the woman. Nervous from his outburst, she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, not sure of how to explain the man just why the baby could not be treated.

"S-sir… The scars!" She said, almost in a pleading manner. Iruka turned his eyes to the odd whisker-like scar on the boy's face. They weren't just red anymore, but a shade of sick green was covering them as well and a few drops of pus were emanating slowly from them. The sight was repulsive, but it only made Iruka more worried about the child. It was obvious the wounds were infected. "What if it is contagious? We cannot risk the health of everyone in this hospital for a baby!" That brought Iruka's attention back to situation, and his eyes narrowed at the woman.

"This baby happens to be mine, and he's sick. Now get me someone to treat him, or I'll sue this whole damn place for negligence!" Iruka had lost it now. His face was red from the anger and he was considering just running into one of the rooms and demanding medical attention. The woman was even more frightened of him now after his outburst, and was frantically looking for the phone under all the scattered papers on her workplace, probably to call security on him. When she finally found the phone, Iruka heard a very familiar voice yell at the woman.

"What the hell is going on here, Hami?" A blonde woman in scrubs and a white coat asked the receptionist, her voice and posture obviously showing she was upset. The nervous woman, who was apparently called Hami, startled, and her eyes widened in horror when she saw who had addressed her.

"Tsu-Tsunade-sama!" Hami squeaked, trying to tidy up her workplace as she spoke. "I, nothing! Nothing's going on!" Ah, so that's who it is, Iruka thought, smiling. Tsunade was a very successful woman who had gone and married the good-for-nothing Jiraiya, a teacher in Konoha's High School who Iruka knew very well. He was very surprised, to say the least, when Jiraiya, the man he saw as a slack, had introduced him to his wife, the beautiful ER Chief of Konoha's Main Hospital. He taught English and had published a couple of R-rated books he appeared to be very proud of. How a man like that had captured a beautiful and talented woman like Tsunade, he'd never know. Tsunade turned to him and after a while smiled in recognition, and Iruka was glad she knew who he was after all this time.

"Iruka-sensei, how are you? I've been trying to get my husband to ask you over to dinner, but you know the lazy bastard." She said smiling, and winked at the last part. Iruka laughed nervously, not sure if he was supposed to. Apparently he was, since Tsunade followed suit. Tsunade seemed then to just have noticed the baby, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Iruka, I didn't know you were a father!" She reached out to pat the baby's head, but one look at his face and she was so startled that she had to take a step back. "Oh my God! Come on, follow me, I'll treat him right away!" And with that she started running towards a small hallway, and then through it, until she reached a white door much like the others he had seen in the hospital. Iruka was balancing the baby in his arms trying to keep up, a mad smile on his face. He couldn't help but think how lucky this baby was, and that, despite all, he would live.

The room they got in was rather small. It was completely white, as all the other parts of the hospital, and bright white incandescent lights located in the ceiling illuminated the whole space. There was a hospital bed in the corner, complete with white sheets and a nightstand at the side. Tsunade quickly took the baby from Iruka's arms and placed him carefully on the bed to easily examine the scars on his face.

"Iruka, how did this happen?" She asked, still uneasy with the baby's looks. Her worried eyes went from the boy's infected face to Iruka, as if she already knew what had happened and was trying to deny it.

"I don't know. The baby… He's not mine. I found him on the street. In the arms of his dead mother." Iruka knew he could trust Tsunade. Besides, if he didn't tell her the truth, she would continue to suspect that he had abused the child or had neglected him, and neither was the case. Tsunade was shocked at his words, and she had gasped horrified at his last sentence. Without further words, she went back to the baby, and started telling a nurse she had paged before to bring her some necessary equipment and a proper crib for the child. Tired, Iruka had sat on a chair at the other corner of the room and had fallen asleep almost instantly, his eyes never leaving the baby he had taken as his.

A few hours later, he was awakened gently by Tsunade, who smiled tiredly at him as he opened his eyes. "He's ok now. He's sleeping. The wounds on his face had gotten infected and he was nearly freezing. We've stabilized his temperature and the wounds should heal quickly." She lowered her head before she added sadly "I am afraid he'll be left with some scars for quite a while, though." Iruka smiled. The baby was ok. His baby was fine.

"That's alright, Tsunade. Arigato-gozaimasu! Can I take him… home, now?" Iruka asked, the idea of taking his son to his home for the first time exciting him. Tsunade smiled warmly at him.

"Not yet, Iruka, I'd like to keep him at least this night to see if there are any changes in his condition. You never know with children. Maybe tomorrow in the afternoon he'll be ready to leave." Iruka seemed a bit disheartened by this, and a thoughtful expression took over his face.

"Tsunade… Can I stay over? I don't want him to be all alone." Tsunade's smile widened at this, and she pointed to the bed next to the crib that held the baby. "The nurses just changed the sheets. I won't tell if you don't." She then winked, waved goodbye at him, and headed for the door. But just before reaching the handle with her hand, Tsunade stopped and turned around again, flashing him an apologetic smile. "Oh! Gomen nasai, I almost forgot!" She said as she reached for a wrinkled piece of paper in the front pocket of her hospital coat. "Here you go," She handled him the paper, smiling. "We found this pinned to his shirt. Fishcake, huh? Very kawaii." And she smiled once more, and finally left the room. Iruka eyed the paper curiously, trying to make out what was written in a very scratchy handwriting.

"Uzumaki Naruto." He read out loud. He then understood what Tsunade had meant with fishcake, since that is what 'Naruto' meant. So this was the boy's name. He couldn't help but smile. It was very fitting. He walked over to the hospital crib and stared down at the slumbering baby, who he now knew was called Naruto. Despite the scars, which were now covered in bandages, Iruka couldn't but think that his baby was beautiful.

"It is just you and me now, Naruto-kun."

A/N: So there you have it. It's a bit long because you had to understand why Iruka decided to adopt Naruto. You know, since he was so lonely and didn't have much to live for besides his work. I also think that he doesn't see a woman in his life anytime soon and he loves children, and he just couldn't resist Naru-chan's baby face (literally). About the whisker-like scars, you'll see soon why I included them in the story. And yes, for the sake of this story Tsunade and Jiraiya are married, hope you don't mind! Next chapter will be called Childhood, I think. And we'll finally get to see Sasuke:D

Misu - Miss
Hai - yes
Arigato-gozaimasu - thank you very much
Gomen nasai - I'm sorry
kawaii - cute

If I messed up using any of those, please tell me!