Sorry for the long wait, this chapter was a real pain to write, that's why it took so long. Next update will (hopefully) be sooner. You can request a pairing in your review, but I can't promise that it will actually appear in this fic. I'll write some one-shots or something, I'm better at that.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and will never claim I do.

United We Shatter

Chapter One – October Tenth

''Niisan, like this?'' A seven-year-old Sasuke looked up to his brother, a questionable look on his face.

Itachi nodded, the slightest of smiles tucking on his lips, a reaction only Sasuke could trigger. ''Yes. But if you hold your fingers like this, it's much easier to throw more than one at the same time.'' He showed Sasuke what kind of effect this could have, and then watched how he tried himself. ''Just practice a little more,'' he said when Sasuke clearly missed the target, ''you'll get better.''

''I'll never get as good as you, niisan,'' Sasuke pouted.

Itachi smirked, ''Just do your best.''

Brightly, Sasuke nodded, a silly grin displayed on his face.

''Now you go practice some more, Father expects me soon. I'll be back tomorrow.'' Sasuke nodded again and watched his brother's retreating back. Then, with a look of determination on his face, he faced the target and continued the training he and his brother had started about half an hour ago. 'I will make niisan proud.'

Not so far from there, two girls were just ending a conversation. They waved each other goodbye and both headed towards home.

One of the girls in particular, the pink-haired one, seemed to be troubled. 'Maybe Ino-chan is right,' she thought, 'I need to stand up for myself. But how?' She bit on her lower lip and frowned. She was just a small, little girl, what difference could she make, anyway?

It was then that a dark-haired man passed her. He was walking rather quickly and the girl, Sakura, recognised the fan on his back as the Uchiha symbol. She watched him as he talked to a blond man and kept staring when they both walked off in a different direction. She blinked and suddenly realised that she was the only one who'd seen the scene; the people around her hadn't even noticed the Uchiha (which was actually quite odd, since they always seemed to notice him).

She just shrugged it off as a 'grown-up thing' and soon after that she reached her home.

''I'm home!'' While kicking of his sandals in the hallway, Naruto ran into the living room of the apartment he shared with three other people. To his surprise, no one was there. He scowled darkly, dumped his bag on the old table and sat down on the worn out couch.

''You know, if you keep frowning like that, your eyebrows will fall off,'' a voice behind him commented, ''I wouldn't want you to become like Gaara-nii.''

Naruto shot up and whirled around, almost losing his balance in the progress. ''Neechan! You came!''

The dark-haired girl laughed. ''Of course I came, you silly! You really think I'd want to miss your birthday?'' She let herself drop from the ceiling she had been sticking to and landed neatly in front of Naruto. ''How did your training go?''

''Really good!'' he showed her how good by nodding furiously. The girl laughed again and ruffled him through his hair.

''Now, aren't you forgetting something?'' She held up a gift-wrapped box with his name on it and grinned. ''Got you a present!'' The next moment she was falling back on the couch with Naruto on top of her.

''Thank you!'' He hugged her tightly and then sat up to unwrap his present. It turned out to be a new set of clothing, complete with the signature swirl on it. The girl, who's name was Kasumi, smiled when she saw him gleaming while holding the cloth tightly.

A knock on wood made them both look up. There, standing in the doorway, was their surrogate father. He was the one that had taken Naruto from Konoha to this place.

Silently he had watched the interaction between his children, glad that they could come along so well, because it hadn't always been like that. In the beginning, they'd fought a lot. Kasumi had felt offended by Naruto, because she'd thought he would be taking her spot and that was exactly what she didn't want.

Like Naruto, she was an only child, and when he had come to take care of her, she'd been so happy. She had trusted him from the moment they met each other, and instinctively knew he meant no harm for her. He'd taken her in and loved her like a father would love his daughter; he knew that that was what she'd been lacking all those years: love.

Therefore, it hadn't been surprising when she first of all completely ignored Naruto's existence, when he'd arrived here. Second, whenever the young boy asked her something, she'd snap at him and insult him like there was no tomorrow.

The two had a strong bond, though, and they felt connected, because they were the same. They had been shunned because of the same reasons, they had the ideals and the same wishes. Acknowledgement. Understanding. They had wanted friends, people who loved them for who they were.And they had found that person in him.

Kasumi and Naruto silently stared at him as he strode into the room. They respected him, who he was and what he'd done for them. So they were silent when he spoke.

''Naruto…'' he said, while staring down at the boy. Slight amusement twinkled in his eyes, although the blond jinchuuriki completely missed it. ''You have finally reached the age to, with permission of a Kage, be enrolled in an academy. As I am your guardian, you also need my permission to enter one. Would you like that?'' As he had talked, Naruto's eyes had gotten wider by the moment, and when he had asked his question, he immediately nodded.

The man known as their father smiled and also nodded. ''I will tell you more information next week. For now, let us enjoy a bit of family time.''

As the small family made themselves comfortable and talked to each other, the family of a little boy was slaughtered, while a little girl still wondered what her sightings this afternoon had meant. And then a new chapter started, for all of them.
Thank you for reading, please review or leave a message or something. I'm thankful for each and every review I get. Cookies for the people who reviewed my first story, anonymous, Seraphim of Darkness, 2 u, Un-wise, Meinos877 and Naruto-sama2008.