DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING ASSOCIIATED WITH NARUTO

'never alone'

For seven years of his life he had wondered why he was hated, why 'they' always glared at him, why he had no parents, why no one would ever help him let alone talk to him. For seven years Uzumaki Naruto wondered why he was different and why he had no one there for him. For seven years he wondered why he couldn't have a friend or any form of companionship. For seven years he wondered why he was alone. For seven years, to him as long as he could remember being alive, he had cried himself to sleep at night. For seven years he longed for what he knew he would never have. For seven years he thought this way….and then he learned that he was never alone.

It was on a sunny day in Konoha that a young and optimistic Uzumaki Naruto found himself wandering the back alleys and lesser known shops of the Hidden Village of the Leaf. Smiling to himself despite the glares and occasionally curses that followed his wake, Naruto looked into the large windows of the shops. Oh it wasn't that he didn't notice the looks and comments…it was just that he'd become used to them. After all, a lifetime of malice does that to someone. Reminiscing, he stopped in front of one particular weapon's shop. He could recall having entered the shop at one time or another , careful always to sneak in unnoticed. 'Oh yeah, I remember looking in there. They had those awesome shinobi weapons. What are they called? Kunai? Yeah! That's it! Kunai. Someday, when I become Hokage maybe they'll have to actually let me in there. Then again, when I become a genin I'll need them so maybe they'll have to let me in. What was the name of the girl that lives there…..Ten...ten. Yeah, Tenten. I guess it doesn't matter though… Her parents never let me get near her. They call me monster and demon just like all the others and then run off….Her dad even threw that brick at me. Damn that hurt too. I just wish I knew why they do that. I ...I don't remember doing anything to them...I apologized too just like Ji-san said and they just got even angrier...I just don't understand…the old man always said to apologize when we make mistakes...but whenever I do it...it just makes it worse… 'sigh' I wonder if I'll ever have a friend…or…if I...if I'll always be...alone'.

Taking a moment to slip into depression Naruto stared at his reflection in the window. 'Why am I the only one with these whicker marks? Is it one of those bloodsomethings? I remember seeing that girl at the park with the white eyes and somebody saying something about it…then again there was that other kid with black hair . They said he had one of those things too but he looked normal. What was it? Uch ..ee something? I guess it doesn't matter. Even if I did have one I wouldn't have a fam..OUCH!'

His train of thought broken by the white he was seeing and the sense of dizziness worsening from a blow to the head, Naruto looked up to find Tenten's father outside his shop and wielding some sort of clublike object in his hand. Apparently, Naruto realized, he had angered the man by lingering too long in front of his storefront window and too lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice the man's approach.

" What the hell did I tell you last time demon! Get the hell away from my store, my family, and my home. I don't want your filthy face around here ever again. If I ever even see you around here again, so help me I'll KILL YOU!" With that said and a shocked Naruto already nearly in tears the man began throttling Naruto over head. As blow after blow rained down on his small body and his raised arms Naruto couldn't help but cry and ponder what he'd done to deserve such a thing. Soon enough the abuse and agony proved far too much for the child and as his bones finally cracked and his blood ran free. He slipped into unconsciousness.

It wasn't until much later in the day that young Naruto awoke. Finally coming to after the assault the young child screamed out in horror. It wasn't until after five minutes passed of him being once more in his protective ball and shaking hoping the blows would stop that he finally extended himself and dared to stand. It was only then that he noticed he had been tossed into a dumpster. Wincing, he realized that once again his fingers on both hands and at least one arm were broken.' Why, why do they always do this to me?' he asked himself. It seemed one of the favorite targets of his assailants were his fingers...'They' loved to break them…to…to crush them… to… Fighting back tears, he forced the memories of his repeated torture to subside. Luckily, this attacker hadn't taken the time to engage in the 'pleasure' so many others seemed to enjoy at his expense. This time he had been lucky, his wounds were simply the result of a brutal beating rather than….

After once again shedding some tears, he pulled himself together and forced his smile back on his face. It was hard, especially for a child that had never felt love, to try and maintain such an image, but he had found that showing his pain only egged them on more. The more cheerful, the more …happy … he seemed the less the beatings came and surprisingly, the less they hurt. He supposed that after awhile, having forced himself to ignore the emotional pain they all caused, the physical pain wouldn't come to hurt as much either. Quickly checking his person over he realized that other than his new bruises and broken bones he was mostly alright. Once again he was lucky. Others had taken the initiative in ripping his clothing, shoes, or other coverings after realizing that there was no way for him to ever replace them or even have them repaired for that matter. During the cold winters in Fire country that had contributed to his misery greatly. At one time, it hadn't been that bad. He had had the orphanage and granted, the staff and attendants had loathed him, but at least it had been warm. Then again, his last year there they had simply handed out thick blankets to all the other children except for him during winter and had left the heat off. Even then it wasn't all THAT bad. He still had a cover or rather, a sheet. It wasn't until his cover had mysteriously disappeared and he had been forbidden from eating any of the orphanage's food that it had become unbearable. With starvation motivating him he had made plans to leave. Not that it mattered anyway; before he even had a chance to gather what few things he had he'd been grabbed and literally thrown out onto the streets to die in the middle of a freak blizzard. Luckily, the old man Hokage had found his shivering form in a cardboard box in an alleyway. It was after that that things had finally started looking up. He'd discovered his ambition of becoming Hokage and becoming accepted He'd also been given a small apartment, clothes, and even a little money for food from the old man. It was great not having to eat garbage anymore though the only thing he could buy enough of to fill himself was ramen. But hey, after garbage, it was the best meal ever and the people there didn't seem to mind him as much.

Coming back to the matter at hand Naruto realized he needed to make his way back home to nurse his wounds. In reality Naruto understood that he needed to go to the hospital but having already visited there he realized it just wasn't an option. The first time he'd sought help and healing at the hospital it had earned him another broken limb, several bruises, and some nasty scrapes. It seemed that even people sworn to do no harm looked the other way when he was involved. That fact became obvious when he had been flatly turned down and flung out through a glass door with the excuse that they 'didn't treat demons'. His second visit hadn't been much better. After one of his worse beating an torture sessions via the villagers the Hokage had taken him there. The only reason they did anything for him anyways was because the old man had threatened. Even then their 'care' had hurt him more than it had helped. Really, what would you call having needleds jammed in and out of your arms and veins. Helpful?

Sighing to himself and limping off to his apartment Naruto realized it didn't really matter anyway. It would all be healed by the next morning after all. Scrapes, cuts, burns, broken bones, stab wounds. It didn't matter. It would always be healed by the next day. He never told anyone, even the old man, but occasionally he would wake up in the middle of the night when his more severe injuries were healing. He'd see a red glow around his body and then a warm heating feeling would pass through him and the wounds would be gone. At first, it had scared him badly but eventually he took comfort in the feeling. For some reason it always made him feel….like someone was there, someone who cared about him. He knew there was no one. That he was alone but still…he liked to tell himself that maybe…that maybe there WAS someone out there that might care about him.

Afterall, the only other time he felt safe like that was whenever the old man Hokage was around. Thinking on this Naruto found himself wishing the old man was around more often. Maybe then he wouldn't be so used to broken fingers and the taste of his own blood… He knew the old man felt bad about him whenever he saw him. He could see it in his eyes, but they never said anything about it. He knew the old man knew about what happened to him. He'd often see different people more restrained, looking sometimes even injured, after they'd done something to him and they'd been talked to by the old man or one of his scary friends with masks…ANBU they were called. There was actually one of them that didn't even seem that bad. He didn't like him. Naruto could tell that much. But he didn't seem to ooze hatred like the others either… it was more like he was just bored...or wanted to be off doing something else all the time…who knows? What would some creepy guy with a wolf mask and Grayish hair do anyway?

Finally turning the last corner, Naruto let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He was just a small distance away from relative safety and a measure of comfort. He had been extra careful today when he ventured out and he still was beaten. Ji-san had warned him that he would be out of town for awhile and that he wouldn't be able to look in on him for at least a week or so. Not that it would've stopped the beating to day if he had been there…but his presence did deal with…larger threats. Mainly, the mobs that would occasionally stalk him, encircle him, and then attempt to butcher him. Many of his …worst memories stemmed from these encounters. On each occasion it was only the presence of the old man Hokage that had saved him from a grizzly death. The old man had tried to play it down on him to stave off the harsh reality that no seven year old should be met with but he knew better. He knew what they were there for. Sometimes, in his darkest moments, he wished they had succeeded. At least then, when he thought like that, it would be over. Shirking off his negative thoughts with a shake of his head Naruto returned to his thoughts on the old man

" Remember Naruto-kun . I won't be here for awhile. You know that there are many …people that are… not fond of you." The Hokage made smiled grimly " Don't give them a reason or an opportunity to harm you."

"Don't worry old man; I won't let them get a hold of me. After all, what kind of Hokage would I make if I'm all busted up permanently! "

"Please Naruto-kun.."

"Hey I said don't worry" Naruto flashed his trademark foxy grin " They don't have a chance against the great Uzumaki Naruto!"

'Yeah, they don't have a change against me….right' Naruto grimaced as he cradled his arm. 'Oh well,' he mused 'At least I got home after a little ramen and there's not even a mob'. When getting ready to step out of the alley and into the open areas in front of his apartment he suddenly stopped. Something was ...wrong. Taking the time to slip into the shadows, Naruto hid himself. Silently, he was grateful that he hadn't bought the orange jumpsuit that he had been looking at for when he started the academy. For once, he felt the dire need to not be noticed. Seconds later his gut instinct were proven right as not just a mob but multiple mobs erupted out of every entrance and exit to his apartment building. Squeezing himself into as small a ball as possible Naruto slowly covered himself with whatever trash he could find. A bag. A box lid. It didn't matter. Making a small hole in his multi-layer camouflage Naruto watched as the villagers stormed into his apartment in throngs. He had no doubt in his mind whatsoever what they were there for…