Internal Affairs
Chapter 1:
Naruto was walking home from the Academy one evening, completely downtrodden. Today was the Genin Exams and he had failed to pass for the second time in a row. He didn't have much in the way help since Iruka could only spend so much time on one student and he had no one else to train him. It's not like going to the library would help, even if he did get all the necessary books and scrolls it was a bad idea to train by yourself, Iruka had told him as much. What if he made a mistake and couldn't catch it? He would only be embedding his errors.
Nope, he would have to just train harder while he was in the Academy, where he had some help. So here he was walking his way back home with a sad look on his face. He didn't even notice the men with blank masks following him wherever he went.
Line Break
Hiruzen was worried. Danzo was circling around Naruto with his Root ninja like a vulture. It didn't help that the boy was always alone when he was at home. Anyone could take him, and he would never be seen again. Hiruzen wouldn't put it past him. He had been growing more and more bold ever since the Kyuubi attack eight years ago. The death of Kushina was full proof of that.
He needed someone to not only watch over the boy but get him ready for Danzo and this mysterious new group Jiraiya's spy network had discovered. At the rate Naruto's training was going either Naruto would become a super soldier for Root or be abducted for this unknown groups plans. He knew that he shouldn't show favoritism, but this wasn't about that. This was about keeping Minato's son safe.
A knock was heard at the door. Hiruzen yelled an "Enter!" and in walked Kakashi. Kakashi had wanted to adopt Naruto ever since he heard Minato had died but couldn't because the Hokage had said that it would make him strong. Kakashi had vehemently disagreed, but he couldn't defy the Hokage on this one. But Hiruzen hadn't expected all this to happen and now he was regretting it.
"Kakashi, please, sit." Kakashi did so. Kakashi was curious as to why the Anbu had summoned him to the Hokage's office so he asked, "Uhm, Hokage-Sama if I may ask, why am I here?" As far as he knew he had already done all the paperwork required to become a Jonin Sensei. He was supposed to become one after Naruto graduates.
The Hokage took a long drag of his pipe and said, "I want you to adopt Naruto." Kakashi wasn't expecting this. But he knew exactly what his answer was going to be, "I accept."