Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the song

Chapter 1: You've got a mother in me

Time skip – a few years………..

Naruto is now five. His name is Uzumaki Naruto, son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. Unfortunately, his mother died during child birth. Now one would ask "why did he bear his mother's clan name instead of his father's?" Well simple really. It was for his own protection. His father was the fourth Hokage and the Kīroi Senkō. Being his son was just asking for death. Thankfully, his mother's clan was not very well known as she originated from the Whirlpool country.

So basically, he was a nobody. Another face in the crowd. The only family he had was his father, who he barely got to see and old man Sarutobi. He's been alone as long as he can remember as he couldn't be too close with his father or be with him too often because people may make comments and then enemies may come after him thinking that his father is close to him.

He was truly alone. And right now he was sitting comfortably the window seat watching the rain fall.

He couldn't even live with his father. That was how alone he was. Tears fell from his eyes and trailed down his cheeks despite his trying to will them back.

'Damn it'

Why him?

Why did all of this happen to him?

'Damn it'

It's not like he ever asked to be the son of Yondaime.

'Damn it'

'Damn it'

'Damn it'

He got up and went to the bathroom. He turned on the faucet and put his hands under the water before splashing some water on his face. He looked at the mirror and just stared.

His eyes were puffy and red.

His eyes were still watering.

His facial expression displayed depression and loneliness.

Only one word could come to mind.

Pathetic.

He hated it.

He hated the world for dumping all this shit on him.

He hated his father.

He hated the village.

But most of all, he hated himself.

'Damn it all'

He cocked his fist back before slamming it into the mirror. It broke into multiple sharp, jagged edges and flew at him. He got a couple of cuts on his upper arms and face. Blood oozed from them as well as from the cuts on his lower arms. He brought his hands up to examine his palms and saw all of the blood running from them.

He trembled a bit before everything went black.

He had lost consciousness before he hit the ground.

Mindscape

Naruto looked around. He was in a dark hallway and there were pipes lining the walls.

He began to walk even though he had no idea where he was going. He just had this strange urge to continue forward.

He came to a cage with a large seal on the door. However, nothing was visible beyond the doors as everything inside was cast into darkness.

"Hello. Is anybody in there?"

Silence was his answer.

"Is anybody in there? Hello!" This time he asked louder and something inside the cage stirred.

"Must you be so loud? You're giving me a headache." A figure emerged from the darkness. Upon closure inspection, the figure was certainly a woman. She had long blonde hair and light brown eyes. She wore a green jacket over a white shirt with a purple waist band and navy blue pants.

"Who are you?"

The woman frowned at the question. "Take a closer look boy. You must have heard of me."

The boy gave her a once over before furrowing his brows in confusion. "I've never heard of you before lady. Who are you?"

The woman feinted (anime style) before instantly returning to her feet and then she started ranting. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS SHIT. AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE DONE FOR THIS VILLAGE. IF I COULD I'D GIVE THOSE OLD BASTARDS A PIECE OF MY MIND. DAMN THEM ALL."

Naruto sweat dropped during her rant. "So who are you anyway? And where are we?"

"Boy kid you ask a lot of questions. We are both in a space deep within your subconscious where my soul and mind are sealed away and as for your first question, I am Tsunade no namekuji – hime (Slug Princess Tsunade)."

The name Tsunade sounded familiar to Naruto. Slowly the gears started turning as he sorted through his memories until he could recall something related to the name. Suddenly his eyes widened in realization. "You're the lady that that statue in the middle of the village was made after."

"I've got a statue depicting my greatness?! Not bad you old goats, not bad at all."

"So what are you doing here anyway? I mean you said your soul was sealed here, but you never said why."

Tsunade's happy expression faltered as this was one question that she was dreading. "It's kind of a long story."

"Well I've got time and there's nothing else to do."

Tsunade sat down on a makeshift bench while sighing in defeat. "Fine kid, you win, but can you do something about this bench? Maybe something a little more comfortable."

"How do I do that?"

"Well this is your mind kid. Just concentrate on what you want to do and it should happen."

Naruto did as Tsunade said. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the bench. After a few minutes of intense concentration, the bench became a very comfortable armchair.

Tsunade sat down in the chair. "Damn I like you kid, you know how to treat a lady right. This is a nice chair. So anyway I guess I'll start with when I first met you. You see, I was the one who delivered you. Your mother was a very good friend of mine and she asked me if I would deliver you as she wanted he best. Unfortunately, she died during childbirth."

"Anyway, about two weeks before you were born I discovered a scroll lying around in your father's office. I'm going to assume you know who your father is."

Naruto nodded.

"Now as I was saying I found a scroll lying around in your father's office. I took a look at it and realized your father's plan. You see, the Kyubi had been attacking nearby villages and was on its way a matter of time before it attacked Konoha. You father's scroll contained a very powerful sealing jutsu. I figured that he was planning on sealing away the demon as it was much too powerful for any human to defeat. However, the sealing technique would fail if it was done on anyone other than a newborn. The jutsu was designed to merge the chakra of the sealed and that of the one who had the seal on them and it would have to be done on someone whose chakra coils where not fully formed. I knew your mother was pregnant and I figured he would seal the demon in you. Your father was the type of man who would never ask someone else to make a sacrifice that he, himself, would not make. However, your father was a good friend of mine. He always seemed to make me smile even on the worst day. I remember him when he was just a genin. He reminded me of my little brother. I knew he would make a good father and I wanted to see him happy with his family. However, the jutsu required hat the user must hand over their life. I just couldn't stand the thought of a second Minato without his father around. It reminded me of when I was little. It was a time of war and many children were homeless or alone as their families were constantly on missions. I just couldn't stand by and do nothing as another baby was left without a family. So I worked constantly on learning your father's technique until I had it down and then I stepped in when the time came."

"However, I must have messed up as it was Kyubi that was supposed to be sealed here. Instead I'm here and the Kyubi is probably in Shinigami's stomach."

Naruto just kind of stared. He just received a lot of information and it was a lot to take in. He was just at a loss for words. Every time he tried to think of something he tried to say his mind was blank.

"I've been watching you for awhile now kid. I've seen everything you've seen and heard everything you've heard. You've had a rough life. Do you want to talk about anything?" Tsunade could sense that Naruto understood what she had said, but just didn't know what to say. She thought it best to try to befriend the kid and try to get to know him. Maybe give him a real friend.

"Not really." Naruto's eyes were downcast and his tone of voice told Tsunade he was lying.

"Kid, you suck at lying. Now out with it."

"Why would you even care? No one else has, why would you be any different?"

"Because not everyone is sealed inside of you kid. I probably know as much about you as you know. Maybe even a little more. You can trust me kid."

"It's just hard alright. I pass out and then meet this woman who tells me she's sealed inside of me and knows everything about me. For all I know this could just be another weird dream."

"Kid, can you usually change your dreams or details within your dreams?"

"Well……..no."

"Then clearly this isn't a dream. If it was there'd be some sake or at least a gambling hall."

"You do realize that I'm underage right."

"I meant for me. But c'mon kid, you can trust me, I swear and we're gonna have to trust each other if we are to survive in this world."

"So we're like family?"

"Yeah, you and I are like a family. So tell me, what put you in such emotional distress? Your mind couldn't take whatever stress it was and that's why you passed out and ended up here."

Naruto's features darkened again and his hair threw his eyes into shadows as he looked at the ground. "Oh, nothing important." Despite his trying to sound strong, his voice faltered a little and he couldn't stop some of the tears that escaped his eyes.

Tsunade couldn't stand seeing him like this. He'd never broken down and cried before. Her maternal instincts kicked in and she reached out to pull him into a hug. She was glad that he didn't resist and instead accepted the embrace.

"It hurts."

"What hurts kid? Are you injured?"

I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom to make it all better
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom who will love me whatever

"I don't know. There isn't any actual mark, but it hurts right here." Naruto placed his hand over his heart.

"How does it hurt kid?" Tsunade wasn't stupid and being inside this kid she was almost completely positive on what the problem was, but she had to be completely sure.

"I don't know how to describe it. It just feels like there's a hole in it and no matter what I do, it never feels full."

I want a mom that'll take my hand
And make me feel like a holiday
A mom to tuck me in that night
and chase the monsters away
I want a mom that'll read me stories
And sing a lullaby
And if I have a bad dream to hold me when I cry

"Kid, have you ever told your dad about this? Maybe he can help."

Naruto's crying had started to calm down a bit, but when his father was mentioned, it just came back full force.

"I can't tell him."

"Why not? I was there when you would be with your father and he seemed like he could help."

"That's not why I can't tell him. I can't tell him because he doesn't need this dumped on him too."

Tsunade reached out and tried to dry away his tears, but they just kept coming. "What do you mean kid?"

Oh,
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom to make it all better
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom that will love me whatever, forever

"He has enough things to do what with having to protect and run this entire town. He's already under enough stress without having to worry about me. So I have to be strong for him because………because……..because I'm a big boy…….and big boys don't cry."

Tsunade felt for this kid. She remembered back when her grandfather had died and she had to stay strong for Nawaki. She remembered that she too had to keep everything bottled up inside so Nawaki wouldn't break down.

"Kid you really shouldn't keep all of that locked away. It's not healthy. Isn't there anybody else you could tell if you can't tell your dad?"

"Not without it getting back to him. And then not only will he feel bad, but he'll feel that he failed as a father because I couldn't even tell him."

"I'll be honest kid, your entire situation sucks. Maybe you could talk to someone who can't talk to your father."

"Like who?"

"Me kid. I certainly can't talk to him and I'll be here for you and listen."

When she says to me, she will always be there
To watch and protect me I don't have to be scared
Oh, and when she says to me I will always love you
I won't need to worry 'cause I know that it's true

"Really? You'll listen to me? Wait how do I know that you won't just leave me alone?"

"Because I'm sealed inside of you kid. I can't leave even if I wanted to. You and I will be stuck together until the day we die."

"So I won't be alone anymore?" Naruto looked at Tsunade with his big cerulean eyes full of hope. Tsunade preferred his eyes full of hope and light oppose to the cold, dead eyes that he had appeared here with.

"You've felt alone for awhile haven't you kid?" Naruto just nodded. Tsunade brought her right hand onto his head and stroked his hair a few times to try to soothe him. "Well kid, I promise I won't leave you alone anymore. Does that sound good?"

I want a mom when I get lonely
Who will take the time to play
A mom who can be a friend and a rainbow when it's gray
I want a mom to read me stories
And sing a lullaby
And if I have a bad dream, to hold me when I cry

Naruto nodded energetically and wiped away his tears. For the first time in a long time, he was truly happy. He had a family now.

Finally, the two separated. "Well kid, I think you should head back. You've been here for quite a long time and it will probably be morning soon."

Naruto gave her a look of understanding before he started to head back the way he came. Keeping his back to her, Naruto asked her a question. "Can I………Can I call you Kaasan?"

Oh,
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom to make it all better
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom that will love me whatever, forever
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom to make it all better
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom that will love me whatever, forever
I want a mom
I want a mom
I want a mom that'll last forever
I want a mom that'll last forever
I want a mom
I want a mom
I want a mom that'll last forever
I want a mom
I want a mom that'll last forever
I want a mom that'll last forever
I want a mom...

Now it was Tsunade to be stunned. This was definitely not a question that she was expecting, but there was only one answer in her mind. "Yes, I would like that."

Naruto turned back and gave her a big grin before leaving.

"Kid, I may not be the best role model, but I promise I'll raise as my own and never leave you alone again." Tsunade made this vow to herself. She had accepted Naruto as her surrogate son and she wouldn't abandon him not matter what.