Abandoned
Chapter 2
"Come back Mommy!" A five year old Sasuke screamed, as he struggled against the arms held him. "I don't want to be here, I want Mommy."
"Shhh." Iruka whispered his heart breaking as the small child called out for his mother. It wasn't fair that Sasuke had just lost his father, and now now he was losing both his mother and his brother. Iruka didn't understand what made the woman give up one child while keeping the other one.
"I want Mommy!" The tiny Sasuke sobbed, as he finally settled into Iruka's arms, when his mother didn't come back through the doors. Why had she left him? Why had his daddy left him? Would they come back for him or would he be left to wonder about what had happened to them.
"You can show him around later." Kakashi said. "He's going to need some time to adjust, so I would just take him to his room for now." Iruka nodded, he hated when parents that were more than capable of caring for their children, came and just left their kids there because they didn't want to care for them or they supposedly couldn't afford to care for them anymore. Iruka knew that had been the case with Mikoto Uchiha, but Iruka thought there was more to that story than she claimed. From what Iruka understood, she had another child, but she kept custody of him. Why just give up one child if you couldn't afford to take care of them? Why keep the older one? Iruka didn't think he wanted to know what was going on. He just wondered if Mikoto had made the best choice in removing the smaller child.
Sighing, Iruka shook his head and carried the smaller child out of the office and towards the room, where Sasuke would be staying until either he was adopted or he was forced into foster care. Iruka hoped that dark haired boy would find a family that would love him more than his own, Iruka also hoped that if Mikoto had sinister plans for her other son, that she would get caught before she could go through with him.
Entering the room, Iruka walked over to a small twin bed and lay Sasuke on it.
"This is where you are going to sleep." Iruka said softly, his heart aching even more at the look of confusion on the boy's face. This child was so innocent that he probably didn't know what was going on. It wasn't fair for him to be abandoned by the ones that were supposed to love him.
"I want to go home with Mommy and 'tachi." Sasuke pleaded looking up at Iruka.
"I know, but that's not possible right now." Iruka said wishing he could make the child understand. "But you will have a roommate, he's a little younger than you. His name is Naruto I think you may like him, he doesn't have a family, so maybe the two of you will get " Iruka said smiling. Naruto was friendly and hyper active, easily brightening up the day for those who were having a bad day.
"I don't want Naruto, I want Mommy and 'tachi." Sasuke mumbled as he lay down on the bed, and stuffed his thumb into his mouth, soft whimpers escaping his mouth.
"One day you won't miss them so much." Iruka said, "You will remember that they will live in your hearts and that one day you may come across them again." Sasuke whimpered again and closed his eyes, the days emotional events having worn him out.
"Poor baby." Iruka said softly, hurting for the boy who had lost so much in just one day. He really hoped that Naruto would be able to cheer Sasuke up. Naruto could be a little difficult to be around at first because he was so hyper, but Iruka had the feeling that Naruto would be the best thing for Sasuke.
"Sleep well little one." Iruka murmured as he gently ran his hand down Sasuke's back. "You deserve a break. Hopefully a family will adopt you quickly." Standing up, Iruka glanced back at the sleeping child before turning and heading out of the room. He needed to find Naruto and tell him about his new roommate and that he would need to take it easy on Sasuke, seeing as how Sasuke had lost so much, it was going to take Sasuke some time to grieve. Iruka hoped that Naruto could understand and not be too rowdy around him. Although that same personality could be good for Sasuke. Naruto's personality could potentially keep Sasuke from becoming too moody, at least Iruka hoped that would be the case.
Sighing again, Iruka headed toward the play room where he was certain that Naruto would be attempting to hide from the older children. For some reason the older kids liked picking on Naruto, Iruka tired to discourage it but kids done what they wanted and picked on him anyways. Naruto only smiled and attempted to be friendly with them, which only made them treat him worse.
Sure enough Iruka found a small blonde boy staring out the window at the kids that were playing soccer out in the yard.
"Picking on you again?" Iruka asked and Naruto nodded and turned sad blue eyes to look at him.
"Why are they always so mean to me?" He asked. "I only want to be friends with them."
"The older kids have been through a lot, unlike you they can remember what it was like to have a family." Iruka said. "it's a tragedy that they haven't been able to forget and that in turn makes them act tougher and meaner. They think that by being meaner it will help them while dealing with the system. Obviously, I don't believe it will, it will only lead to them becoming troublemakers. Speaking of we have a new boy that I believe will want to play with you."
"Really?" Naruto's blue eyes lit up with excitement, he wanted to go and find this new boy and see if he wanted to play with him.
"Take it easy on him okay?" Iruka said quietly. "He's lost his enter family within 24 hours, he's got a lot of grief that he is dealing with, he may not be very friendly at first. Just try to remember he's scared and he's hurting."
"No one can resist the Uzumaki charm." Naruto said, offering Iruka a bright smile. "I'll make him like me."
"That might not get you very far." Iruka said gently. "He's going to need some time to get used to us and his new home, so don't be too hard on him if he doesn't want to participate." Naruto nodded, he didn't want to chase off a potential friend, most of the other kids here hated him and Naruto didn't understand why.
"Iruka, why do the other kids hate me?" Naruto asked. "Is there something wrong with me?"
"No, I can promise you that it has nothing to do with you." Iruka reassured the blonde boy. "The tragedies that they have been through have hardened their hearts to the point where they don't care about anything or anyone. That is a problem that they will have to face and deal with."
"I can't help but feel like its my fault." Naruto said quietly, and Iruka's heart ached for the boy. He wished the older kids could see what Iruka saw when he looked at Naruto, which was a lonely child in desperate need of someone to call a friend. Iruka really hoped that Naruto would soon be adopted, Iruka feared what Naruto's forced isolation would do to the child.
"I promise you it's not you." Iruka said gently, reaching out and touching Naruto's back. Naruto wore a brave face everyday, even when he was being bullied and that worried Iruka. It wasn't good that Naruto tried to hide behind a smile, to keep people from seeing just how badly he was really hurting.
"How about we go see how Sasuke is doing?" Iruka asked knowing that Naruto would feel better if he was around someone his own age.
"Okay," Naruto said hopping off of the window seat and starting towards the door. Iruka chuckled at Naruto's impatience, some things would never change. The staff loved the little, hyper blonde boy, it was only the other kids that had issues with the little knucklehead. Iruka had hoped that Neji and his small group would come to accept Naruto as he was, but it didn't look like that was going to happen. No Neji and Kiba liked to pick on Naruto and make the smaller boy cry at every opportunity.
A few short minutes later, Iruka entered the room that Naruto and Sasuke were expected to share. Sasuke was awake and staring out the window, he turned to see who had entered the room. He frowned at the blonde haired boy who looked to be a little younger than he was.
"I'm Naruto." The boy offered his name shyly, before grabbing a hold of Iruka's leg and hiding behind him.
"You're not shy Naruto." Iruka murmured, trying to get Naruto out from behind him.
"Sasuke." Sasuke murmured turning back to the window, Iruka knew that Sasuke was looking for his mother.
"What are you looking for?" Naruto asked quietly.
"I'm looking for my mommy." Sasuke said softly, "She wouldn't just leave me here."
"Do you need help looking for her?" Naruto asked, peeking around Iruka's leg again.
"If you want." Sasuke replied, without looking back at the blonde boy. Naruto hurried across the room to join Sasuke at the window, not really knowing what he was looking for. The sight of the two boy's looking out the window looking for Sasuke's mother hurt his heart. Sasuke would soon come to understand that his mother wasn't coming back for him, Iruka hoped that Naruto would be able to comfort the other when that happened.
Thanks for reading and reviewing! There will be more about Itachi in the next chapter. Liz