I don't own Naruto. Never have and never will.

I wrote this a while back…I think it was around January or February (2009), in the KakaIru LJ community. I believe there was a challenge to write a story from a song, and I chose "Angels Among Us".

It's more of a series of four one-shots than a chaptered story, though they can sort of go together.

Found it while going through the stories I have yet to revamp, and figured I should share it.

Only warnings…there's KakaIru, but only really at the end. Up until the last chapter, it's barely even a 'friendship'. That means guy/guy. That means, if that's not your cup of tea, don't read.

Angels Among Us

Chapter 1: Answer to My Prayer

Seven year old Iruka Umino was excited. He had just scored the highest in his class on the last test. Usually, he scored with the 'average' students, in the middle of the grading curve.

But today, he had managed to pull up to the top.

He wanted to tell his parents as fast as he could. They weren't on a mission, today, which made it even better!

The short boy with brown hair pulled into a topknot giggled as he ran as fast as he could.

Why, oh why, did home have to be so far away?

Iruka paused when he saw the woods. They surrounded the academy, and he once went with his father down a path through there to get to the academy on time when the family had been running late for a school event.

The child stared at the woods. They were big, and they were wide…trees blocked the sunlight from getting through, and there were all sorts of bushes and shrubs that littered the ground.

But…there was a shortcut through there.

Iruka smoothed out his slightly rumpled white t-shirt, brushed off his navy blue capris, and grabbed his knapsack tighter.

It would be faster to take the shortcut…

Iruka nodded, his mind made up. He would take the shortcut. His parents had once told him not to take it when they weren't with him…but that was a year ago, when he first entered the academy. He was seven, now! He could totally navigate through the woods!

The boy beamed, and dashed into the wooded area. Now, he would get home in no time, and he could tell his parents all about his good grade!

Iruka didn't know how long he had walked, but he was certain he already passed the tree he stood near. Twice.

The boy frowned and scratched at the scar that ran horizontally across the bridge of his nose. Odd…I should have been home by now…did I wander off the path?

It seemed likely, but…he had seen his father take it, before! He had gone on it!

Iruka looked around.

Nothing looked familiar. With a start, he realized that the shortcut they had taken that one time didn't really have a path. His father, being a Chuunin, had been able to navigate the forest on the skills he had learned as a ninja.

Iruka bit his lip, then shook his head. I…I'm a ninja, too! In training, but…a ninja! I can navigate this forest!

With a new resolve, he marched diligently onward.

But with each step, he became more uncertain.

He could hear the sounds of animals and insects, but the only crunching was done by his own feet that stepped on branches or leaves.

Occasionally, something would rustle near him, or some creature would dart out in front of his path.

Twice over, he had nearly stepped on a snake that he thought was a branch.

Iruka yelped as the bushes to his left rustled, and he pulled out a wooden shuriken with a shaky hand. "C-come out! I'm n-not scared!"

It might have sounded more threatening if, one, he held a real weapon (hey, he was only seven, and the younger kids didn't get real weapons to hold onto at that age)…and two, his voice hadn't been shaking.

Luckily, it was just a rabbit, which darted across the 'path' and into another set of bushes.

Iruka put the wooden shuriken back in his pocket…then thought better of it and kept it in his hand.

He had lost count of how many times he jumped at anything that moved.

The wind once rustled the tree leaves, and he spent at least five minutes crouched on the ground with his back to a tree trunk and brown eyes wide with fear.

Until he realized it had just been the wind.

Iruka gulped and wiped his eyes. No…he wouldn't cry. He was a big boy! He was a ninja (in training). They didn't cry!

The leaves shuffled again, and some on the ground picked up, as the wind blew through.

Iruka trembled and looked around. It wasn't as easy to see as it was when he had first started. Just how long had he been in the woods? He didn't have a watch, and he couldn't see the sun's position through the trees.

Not that it mattered, since he didn't know much about navigation and survival skills just yet. The first year at the academy had been the very basics, and training of the body to grasp the motor skills it took to balance correctly and move in the right ways.

He only knew a few things about navigation…but nothing he knew would help, since he couldn't see the sun.

In fact, Iruka didn't even know what direction he was headed in.

He thought he had been headed straight for his house…but if that was so, he would have arrived already.

It was still perfectly light out when he started.

And now…

Now, the sun was obviously setting.

The shadows were increasing, and his eyes had to adjust slightly to the slowly diminishing light.

Iruka sniffled, then stopped. Maybe…I should go back. If I retrace my steps, then I should get back to the street, at least. I'll be late in getting home, but at least I won't be lost.

At the academy, they had taught them a basic rule of survival…if you got lost or separated, you stayed where you were.

But there was a problem with that rule.

Nobody knew Iruka was in the woods.

It was rare that a mission would be run in the woods by the academy…in his year at the school, he had never seen any ninja around the building except for the staff.

His parents could file for a team to find him if he went 'missing', but that would not only take time, but again, led back to the first problem.

Nobody knew he was there.

Iruka wiped his eyes, then turned around with a determined look. He would just go back the way he came, and then take the long way home.

There was barely a glow in the sky, which meant the sun had almost gone down completely. Iruka guessed it was around seven at night. He was hungry, his toes were cold, and he had scratches from where he had tripped and fallen over a rock he missed due to the increasing darkness or a branch that whipped around and smacked him.

A rustle in the bushes made him throw his shuriken into it…then, he gave a yelp and fell onto his backside as about five birds flew out of the bushes.

They arced towards him, then flew upwards and into the canopy.

Iruka sat on the ground as he trembled. He wasn't about to go searching through the bush for his wooden toy…not a chance. What if there was something else in there?

The shadows cast sinister shapes in the woods. More than once, Iruka thought he had seen a pair of eyes that watched him.

Iruka shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. He hadn't managed to find his way back out of the woods, either. I followed my trail…but I'm still here…

It had been easy to track his own trail. He was only seven, but a ninja in training. Thus, he found all the broken branches and scuffed rocks he had upturned on his first trek in.

However, unbeknownst to him, he hadn't hit the lesson yet on telling the difference between the marks animals made as they crashed through the woods, and marks that scared little ninja-in-training made.

A sob tore out of Iruka's throat.

All light had gone away, now…it wasn't complete darkness, but he was terrified. He didn't want to be there. He wanted to be at home, in the embrace of his mom.

Iruka pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs as he scooted over to the base of a tree.

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he cried. Not only had he not found his way out, but now he was even more lost than before. There was no way he would be able to get to the academy or back home…or even to the street parallel to the woods.

He jumped at every call of an animal, or a hoot of an owl. He prayed there weren't any bears in the woods, but he didn't rule that out.

Iruka hiccupped. I'll never get home…something will kill me before I get found! I don't know where I am…I want mom…

"Hey, now…what's with the tears?"

Iruka nearly jumped out of his skin, but just sniffled and looked up with a pale face.

It was a tall man with broad shoulders. He must have been old, because his hair was a silver-white color, and stuck out all over the place. He wore a flak jacket over a white t-shirt, and under the t-shirt was the standard issue long sleeve navy shirt for Chuunin and Jounin. He had on a standard pair of pants, too, also navy in color. His shins to ankles were wrapped, and he had on a pair of black shinobi sandals. There was a thigh pouch strapped to one leg, and he probably had another equipment pouch in the back.

Iruka whimpered, but recognized the Konoha hitai-ate tied around the man's forehead. He wiped his eyes. "A-are you a ninja?"

"Yup," the man smiled softly at the boy. "It's odd to find someone in the woods, here. What are you doing out here, and so late?"

Iruka whimpered. He didn't want to appear to be a crybaby to someone that was at least on a Chuunin level, but he couldn't help it. "I…I'm lost…I tried to take the shortcut from the academy…but now I can't even get back!"

The man knelt down and rested a hand on Iruka's shoulder. "Easy, there. No worries, kiddo. I'll help you get out of here."

"R-really?" Iruka sniffled, and looked up hopefully.

"Yep! Come on. I'll show you how to get out of the woods."

Iruka looked at the hand for a split second, then took it and let the man help him to his feet. "My parents are probably worried…is it far?"

"Mm…nope, not really. We should be out in no time. Watch your footing, though. It's dark."

Iruka bobbed his head in a nod. He watched in awe as the man barely even made a sound when he walked. "You must be an awesome ninja, sir! I can't even hear your footsteps! I make too much noise…"

The man laughed. "No worries…you're still young. You'll learn all about stealth."

Iruka frowned. "But I can't be a very good ninja if I get lost in the woods…"

The man gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Hey, it happens to the best of us. You aren't a ninja yet, anyway. Failure is a learning experience. But you have to learn to accept your failures, no matter how big they are."

Iruka thought he detected a hint of sadness in the man's voice. "Are you okay, mister?"

"Hmm?"

"You got all sad…"

The man's blue-gray eyes softened as he gazed at the child. "I've made some big mistakes in my life…some of which are hard to get over. You're training to be a ninja, right? Don't ever give up. No matter what happens."

Iruka felt like there was some deeper meaning to these word, but he still just smiled brightly and replied, "I won't give up! But…if you hadn't come along just now…"

"Someone would have. I just got there, first."

Iruka bit his lip. "Mom is gonna be mad…I wasn't supposedta take the shortcut in the woods…"

The man smiled. "Hey, were you listening? Everyone makes mistakes. That's how we learn. But you have to learn to move on from your mistakes, too, instead of dwelling on them."

Iruka scrunched up his nose. "I get it, but at the same time, I don't get it."

The man laughed. "You'll understand when you're older."

Iruka pouted. "I'm not a little kid."

"Never said you were, kiddo."

Iruka scowled. "Not 'kiddo'! I'm Umino Iruka! I'm gonna be an awesome ninja one day, just like my parents!"

A fond smile spread on the man's face. "You look up to them, huh…"

"Course! They're awesome ninja!"

The man glanced at the dark sky through the trees. "I have a son. I think he used to look up to me, too…"

"Used to?"

The man sighed sadly. "I hurt him. I was so absorbed in myself and my shame, my remorseful feelings after having made a huge mistake…that I hurt him. I did something I can never take back. And I know he suffered because of it."

Iruka frowned thoughtfully. "Didn't you say just now to move on from mistakes? Is that why you told me?"

The man gave a nod. "You're perceptive. Yes. It was a difficult decision to make, what led to my mistake. I still don't believe I made the wrong choice, however. I'm glad I made that choice. But the aftermath…I couldn't handle it. And so…I hurt him."

Iruka tilted his head to the side in thought, then smiled up at the man. "So, how bout you just talk to him! You're talk'n to me! And you're really nice, mister! I'm sure your son would understand that you didn't meanta hurt him!"

A small smile crossed the man's face. "I don't know if an apology can make up for it. After my first mistake…hurting my son was the biggest one I ever made. And I didn't even realize it until later."

Iruka stuck out his tongue. "Like I said, just talk to him!"

"I don't think he'd want to see me…"

"Pfft. I get angry at my folks sometimes. Cause they make me eat my veggies, or tell me to go to bed early. But we make up, cause we love each other. You're a family, so there."

The man chuckled. "You're a good kid, Iruka. I hope you keep that big heart of yours despite the challenges of being a ninja. It won't be easy."

"I can take on anything! Well…except maybe the woods…" Iruka grinned sheepishly.

Another laugh. "I hope you keep that innocence of yours."

"Eh?"

The man pointed. "We're out of the woods."

Iruka looked up…and sure enough, they had emerged out of the woods, and were actually along the path that led to his front steps. "When did…?"

Before Iruka could get in another word, he saw his mother come out of the house and run up to him.

"Iruka-chan!" the woman threw her arms around him and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Where have you been!? We were so worried! Your father is out looking for you, and…! Goodness, you're cold! And what's with these scrapes…?"

Iruka smiled at his mother despite his tears. "I'm okay, mom! Cause this nice man helped me!"

The woman blinked a couple of times as she followed Iruka's finger.

Iruka looked from the old man that had led him home to his mother. "See? I got lost in the woods cause I wantedta get home quick cause I got a good grade, and this kind old man found me and led me home!"

The woman ran a hand through his hair with an odd expression on her face. "Iruka-chan, hun…there's nobody there."

Iruka blinked a couple of times. "Huh? But he's standing right here, mom…" He glanced over at the man.

The man just smiled at him, then held up his hand in either a greeting or a goodbye, his eyes soft. "Take care of yourself, Iruka. You're a good kid. And maybe, someday, my son and I will be able to talk."

Iruka blinked, which caused a couple tears to fall, but gave a nod. He looked over at his mother, who was fussing over him.

When he looked back at the spot the man had once been, there was nothing but the wind.

"Come on inside…you must be chilled completely. And we have to clean out those scrapes. But you're in trouble. We told you not to take that woodland path…it's large, and…"

"I know, mom. I'm sorry. I'll do better next time and just be patient," Iruka stated.

The woman gave him a kiss on the forehead, then took his hand. "Come along, then. I'll make you some hot cocoa."

"Mom…" Iruka glanced back at the spot on their walkway where the man had just been standing moments before. He swore that his hand that had been in the man's the entire walk back was still warm.

"Yes, hun?" the woman opened the door to the house and let the two inside.

Iruka frowned in thought. "He really was there. A silver-haired old man took me home."

The woman looked at her son a moment, then gave him a hug. She knew there was no way her son could have made it out of those woods on his own…it was a large place, and they had only gotten to the academy quickly that day because her husband had been carrying Iruka, and they had run through the forest.

She also knew the look in her son's eyes…he wasn't lying. A part of her was slightly afraid…but another was grateful. "Maybe he was an angel."

Iruka stared at her in awe. "An angel…came to me?" He looked at his hand. "But…he was real…"

"To you, he was…that's how angels work, I suppose. It's a mysterious thing."

Iruka touched the palm of his hand, then curled his hand into a fist with a smile that lit his entire face. "I was scared, then…I thought it'd never get home, and…he just appeared. Took my hand…talked to me…calmed me down."

The boy placed his fist over his heart, then whispered. "Thank you, mister angel."

TO BE CONTINUED…