Here it is, the update for this story. Hope you haven't been too anxious for it. Drop a review to tell me what you think of the latest chapter. As a side note, this chapter is in honor of Inoichi. Those who read the manga will understand.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

…..

Iruka Umino, the almost 16 year old genin, was surprised when a blonde boy, no older than 5, stumbled into the Ichikaru ramen stand by himself. He left his ramen without a second thought to find out the situation. He was quickly kneeling by the blonde boy, hand on shoulder.

"Hello, little boy. Where are your parents?"

The blonde boy sniffed and wiped his nose. "Dead." Was all he said.

The bluntness of the statement struck a chord with Iruka, knowing the feeling of being alone, and having to live as an orphan. Iruka looked towards the ramen chef, Teuchi, looking for some sort of advice of what to do. He never really had to deal with kids outside of the occasional D-Rank mission, and only had some ideas of what a 5 year old boy might want. Teuchi looked at the little boy and said. "Well, I'm sorry to hear about that little boy. No child should have to go through that, but more kids in this village do than I would like to think about. Like Iruka here."

Iruka's eyes went wide at the casual confession of his orphaned state, and wanted to shoot a look at the chef, but was distracted by the blonde boy's comment. "Really?" He was trying to wipe the snot running down from his nose.

Iruka let out a sigh and nodded. "Yeah, I did. My parents lost their lives almost six years ago, when I was just 10. They died defending the village from the Kyuubi."

"So did mine." Naruto quickly replied back, garnering surprised looks by both Teuchi and Iruka.

"I sometimes help out at the orphanage, but I haven't seen you there." Iruka quickly said, trying to understand what exactly was going.

"I live with my fake mommy and daddy and sister! They lied to me and said there were really my mommy and daddy and sister!" Naruto yelled his little lungs out, expressing as much as he could the betrayal of a five year old boy.

Iruka guessed he finally understood the situation. The boy had just been told the truth about his parents and had grown mad at the lie. He was surprised that they would tell such a little boy that face. He didn't think anyone younger than 8 or 9 could really handle that sort of truth. He began to look at the boy, wondering how he would feel in his shoes, when he noticed his whiskers. It was an odd characteristic on a child. And with his bright blue eyes and blonder hair-

Iruka was startled to see that it was the Yondaime's son standing in front of him. He hadn't thought of it at first, but it became clear when he looked at him for a longer time. He had simply never thought he would get to know the boy. He really wasn't sure what to say to the boy about his "fake" parents, who if he remember the story correctly, was the Yamanaka clan head. However, Teuchi took the slack.

"They probably only said that because they think of you as your mother or father or sister. They don't think of you as someone else, but as their son or brother."

Naruto took in as best he could what the wise ramen chef said, but it was tough for him to conceptualize it. "But…how can anyone but my real mommy and daddy be my mommy and daddy?"

Teuchi ushered the boy over closer, who gladly listened. "Listen, I want to tell you something I don't tell many people, so you have to keep it a secret, okay?" Naruto anxiously nodded, liking the idea of knowing a secret. "I have a daughter who helps me at the ramen stand all the time, a wonderful girl named Ayame. I love her with all my heart and can't think of her as anything else. But, she isn't related to me one bit."

"Really?" Naruto asked wide-eyed.

The ramen chef nodded. "She is actually my best friend's daughter, someone who died in an accident almost ten years ago. I had to raise her in his place since he was gone, but I never thought of it as something hard. It is something I love, and I have found someone really precious to me. It doesn't matter how it happens, but anyone who comes into your life can turn out meaning the world to you. Do you understand what I am saying at all? I'm probably rambling on for a five year old."

Naruto shook his head. "No, I think I get it. You're saying, that as long as they love me like a mommy and daddy, it doesn't matter if they really are?"

Iruka nodded. "Ichikaru-san is right. You are really lucky to have people that love you like that even after your parents are gone. You really shouldn't run away from them either."

Naruto blushed slightly. "I have to tell daddy I'm sorry."

Iruka nodded. "I think you're right." Suddenly, he had a little bit of inspiration for how to bond with the boy. "Hey, how would you like some ramen?"

Naruto's eyes went wide, "DO I!" He yelled in excitement. Iruka let out a chuckle as helped the boy onto the stool as Teuchi prepared the dish.

Inoichi was franticly looking for his son. That idiot Hokage had probably scarred the boy, telling him that news so bluntly. He only hoped he could find him and make him not hate him. He wanted his son to love him.

He jumped from hiding place to hiding place as he looked for his son. He was very sneaky, and Inoichi knew that he could be a very stealthy shinobi when he grew up. He really wished he wasn't at the moment. As he dashed from rooftop to rooftop, a smell caught his noise. Ramen, really good smelling ramen. Deciding to take a chance, he checked to see if his son fled to the smell of his favorite food.

Pulling up the curtain to the ramen stand, he was relieved to see his son talking with the chef and another shinobi, probably a genin. He seemed really cheerful, and was gorging himself on his favorite food. He saw the smile on his face and couldn't help but smile himself. It always made a parent's heart warm when their child smiles.

Iruka noticed the man first, and slowly turned his attention to him, quickly followed by Naruto. With a nervous expression, Inocihi greeted his son.

"I was so worried about you Naruto. You shouldn't run off like that." The words naturally flowed out of his lips, concern clearly on his face. His body was tense, however, in preparation for Naruto's reaction.

Naruto took a gulp, looking at his father, and gave a smile. Inoichi was relieved to see that his son was at least not angry to see him. Then, the boy jumped from the stool and ran over to Inoichi. He jumped into the air, wrapping his arms around the man. "I'm so sorry, daddy! I shouldn't have ran away!"

Inoichi tried to hide his tears of relief that his son called him daddy. He simply kneeled down, and pulled his son into a hug. "It's okay, Naruto. It's okay."

The heartwarming scene went on for a few moments. Soon the two pulled apart, and Inoichi found himself sitting next to his son, opposite of the genin that had helped him.

"Thank you for watching over my son. I looked all over the place, but I didn't know where he went. What is your name?"

Iruka scratched the back of his head. "Uh, your welcome Yamanaka-san. It wasn't a big deal. And my name is Iruka. Iruka Umino."

"Well, thank you, Iruka. Now, Naruto," He turned his attention to his son, "finish up this bowl of ramen. We need to go home."

"Do we have to, daddy?" Naruto asked in between a bite.

Inoichi nodded. "Yes we do. Don't worry, though. I think we found a new place to eat out at."

Naruto grinned at the implication. Inoichi turned to the chef. "How much do I owe you, chef-san?"

The chef waved it off. "It's alright. It's on the house." He motioned in the shinobi a little closer and whispered into his ear, "I hope you won't be too mad, but your son told us about how he found out the truth. I know the feeling of bringing in a child that isn't yours, and how difficult it can be. Think of it as my thanks for giving him a family."

Inoichi nodded, slightly teary eyed from the random generousity of the man, and thanked him. Naruto finished off the bowl, and jumped off the stool. "Well, bye chef-san! Bye Iruka-nii!"

Inoichi was surprised by the designation, and Iruka looked a little embarrassed. "Well, bye Naruto." He waved the boy goodbye.

Inoichi said his goodbyes and father and son returned to their home. For the sake of convenience, Naruto was on Inoichi's shoulders.

"Daddy, I'm sorry about running away." He told his father.

"It's okay, Naruto. I understand. You were shocked by what the Hokage told you. We really didn't mean to keep it a secret from you, but we didn't want to make it seem we were treating you any differently than from your sister."

"It's okay, daddy."

They continued their walking, talking about more the abilities of the Kesshogan that had been confirmed by the Hokage when Naruto asked. "Why do you say the Hokage wants to hurt me? He seems really nice?"

Inoichi slowed down as he thought how to paraphrase this nicely. "It's complicated, Naruto. He really doesn't want to hurt you, but he wants to do something bad that involves you. Or, I think it's bad."

"What is it?" Naruto quickly asked.

"I'll tell you when you are older, alright? I promise."

"You promise?"

Inoichi nodded his head. "Promise."

Naruto gave a huge grin at that promise to the future. Inoichi helped him off his shoulders, and they walked into their home. They were the only two there, as Nikko and Ino were at the flower shop.

"Daddy, does nee-chan know that I'm not her brother?"

Inoichi shook his head. "No, we haven't told Ino yet. But I guess we have to know…"

"Don't."

"What?" Inoichi was surprised at his son's comment.

"Don't tell nee-chan. It doesn't matter, does it?"

Inoichi thought about it for a moment. "No, I guess it doesn't Naruto. I guess it doesn't."