Disclaimer: there r 2 obvious things that tell you i don't own Naruto....1: Ino is not dead 2: Hidan IS dead! my poor poor Hidan....*sobs*

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CHAPTER 2......New Family

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"Anything, Naruto. I mean it. You call me and I will do anything in my power to help you....."

The blonde eyed the cell phone he had just been given with wide eyes. It was the first time anyone had ever given him anything. Looking up he was met with warm chocolate colored eyes and a gentle smile. His eyes were beginning to burn with tears he refused to shed.

"Th-thank you....I...don't know what to say..." He lowered his eyes. No one had ever cared about him before. And to be honest he wasn't exactly sure how to take it.

"Naruto, listen to me." The man rested his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I know you probably don't beleive me, but I really do care about you.I don't like seeing you get hurt." He drew in a deep breath and locked his brown gaze with blue. "I know something is going on. No one falls, trips or whatever else you say you do that many times in a week. And if they do, it doesn't leave bruises like this." He said jesturing to the large bluish smudge on the boy's throat.

To Iruka Umino, the bruise looked frighteningly similiar to a hand print.

"I'm just worried about you, that's all. Just promise you'll keep the phone. And at least think about what I've said, ok?"

"I...I'll think about it....Sensei..."

Strong arms drew him into a hug and he stiffened. He'd never been hugged before. Ever.

"Promise?" Iruka questioned, his chin resting on top of the blonde head. He'd felt Naruto stiffen but refused to let him go. The boy needed to be showed someone cared. And he cared. He would do everything in his power to protect the teen.

Slowly starting to relax, Naruto leaned into the embrace. It was unfamiliar, and a little weird, but not bad. It was actually kind of....nice.

"Yeah, Sensei," he murmered against the warm chest," I promise...."

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Murder. That was it. What he wanted to do with every fiber of his being. His hands literally itched with the urge to wrap around that thick throat and just...squeeze.

He deserved it after all. Deserved that and more. He had hurt Naruto. And no one hurt Naruto. Not while he was alive.

A thousand different scenes of prolonged torture and death passed through his raging mind. None of them solved his problem. None of them satisfied him.

He wanted that...that.... thing caught and sentenced to life in prison. Or the death penalty, he could live with that. He smirked. Better yet, maybe there would be an accident with one of the officer's guns and it would misfire.

A particularly out of character sneer crossed his usually cheerful face.......Oh, the possibilities.

His wishful thoughts were interupted however by a firm but gentle, hand on his shoulder. Letting out a rather heavy sigh for what seemed like the thousandth time that day, Iruka Umino turned to glare at the intruder ( and maybe cuss him out since he was in such a terrible mood) who dared interrupt his dreams of revenge.... But stopped short at the familiar face.

"K-Kakashi...."

And there he was: Kakashi Hatake, teen heart throb and pervert extraordinaire, flopping ungracefully into the chair next to the glaring man. His wild spiky hair, an unusual silvery white color (questionably natural) looking as though he'd just gotten out of bed (which he probably had considering it was three in the morning) and his single, visible eye seeming to glow in the limited light of the waiting room.

"Kakashi....I didn't expect .....I mean...." Iruka dropped his gaze to the floor as heat flooded his cheeks. His heart was pounding loudly. Kakashi was his friend.He was not supposed to feel like this toward him. And why exactly had he come anyway? Iruka's brow furrowed in thought.

"I know."

Kakashi leaned over slightly and slid his arm around Iruka's tense shoulders. "It's ok.I'm here." He eyed the circles under his friend's eyes with concern. "I came as soon as I got your message. Now, mind telling me what's going on?"

Deciding the why's and what for's could wait until he was more emotionally stable, Iruka nodded and finally allowed himself to relax, just a little.

Kakashi took in the agitated state of the brunette and frowned. Whatever had happened had the usually cheerful man looking tired and-

"......Naruto."

Kakashi pulled himself from his thoughts and eyed the man looking at him questioningly . He'd obviously missed whatever Iruka had said. "What?"

Iruka gave a small smile to the embarrassed Kakashi and leaned his head on his shoulder, enjoying the familiar warmth and comfort the act always managed to give him."I said,um,do you r-remember.... remember Naruto Uzumaki?"

At the sound of that name, Kakashi tightened his hold on his friend. He had never actually met the boy, but he had heard Iruka talk about him enough to know how his friend felt. Protective.

He was very aware of the fact that Iruka viewed the blonde teen as his charge. That he felt somewhat responsible for him. He was also aware that Iruka suspected abuse from the boy's guardian. Add that to the fact that they were in a hospital.....

"What happened 'Ru?" His voice the most serious Iruka had ever heard.

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"Damn it!" The cry echoed loudly through the otherwise silent room. "Watch what you're doing for crying out loud!"

Glaring at the nurse who had accidentally knocked into his still bruised ribs, Naruto jerked back and treated her to few choice words and some, just a little gory, threats. Only slightly satisfied when he saw the tears gather in her eyes.

It took only about five seconds for her to cross the room and race out the door.

Ok, so he wasn't the nicest kid ever....But come on, he had just been beaten to a bloody pulp not three weeks ago. And he had been hassled by police officers and social workers non-stop since then. He deserved a little venting, right? He was not looking forward to another foster home.

His self-justification and self-pity party however was interrupted by the door opening....again. Seriously, he was going to find a way to put a lock on that door.

All his frustration and anger drained away however at the sight of the weary man who walked in. "Iruka-sensei."

The man gave a tired smile and slid into the seat nearest his bed. He had been staying here at the hospital for the entire three weeks. From what the doctor and the nurses had told him, Iruka had not left the building since bringing him here.

"Naruto-kun. How are you feeling?"

The teen shrugged. He was feeling as good as could be expected.

Naruto allowed himself to really see Iruka for the first time since he'd come and picked him up.

'Looks dead on his feet....' He thought with a sigh.

The man's hair was falling out of the usually neat pony-tail he always kept it in. There were dark circles under his eyes and the ever present cheerfulness Naruto had grown to love was gone. For some reason, the scar that crossed the bridge of his nose seemed to stand out even more than usual.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Hmm...?" Naruto forced himself away from his thoughts and back onto his teacher. "What is it?"

"I need to tell you something. It's important, so please hear me out before you say anything, ok?"

Naruto eyed the man warily. What was he up to? And why was he looking so nervous? "Um....ok.I guess...."

Iruka gave a small smile and nodded. "Naruto, I called an old friend of mine and...."

" Naruto!"

Iruka's little speech was interrupted by the loud scream and the door slamming open. " Naruto! Bro! You look horrible man! Sheesh!" The raging ball of energy plopped himself down on the bed next to a very surprised and somewhat aggravated blonde.....And proceeded to give him a rather painful hug.

"K-Kiba....What are you doing?!" Iruka was on his feet and prying the boy's arms off of a whimpering Naruto. "Let him go! You're hurting him!"

Kiba instantly released the blonde and began apologizing profusely.

Waving off the apologies, Naruto eyed the younger, wilder boy with suspicion. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

Kiba gave the confused teen a grin as he nodded. "Yep! But I wanted to come check on my big bro!"

" Your what?!"

Naruto eyed the dog loving boy in barely concealed confusion. He knew Kiba well enough, being the adopted son of Iruka. The boy had come to visit his father and Naruto himself on the weekends. Naruto had even come to enjoy those visits. Kiba was a little wild and was very loud, but Naruto liked him. The guy was crazy and always knew how to cheer him up or make him laugh.....

But he'd never called him his brother before. What was going on? He eyed Iruka with a look that said 'explain now!'

Iruka shook his head in disbelief as Naruto turned questioning eyes to him. "Naruto...."

Naruto forced down his raging emotions and drew in a deep breath. "What's going on Iruka-sensei?" He asked as he met the worried gaze with his own confused and frustrated one.

"I was going to tell you before Kiba pounced on you. I've been given legal custody of you. As of today...." He paused and gave the wide eyed blonde the first genuine smile in three weeks. " You are legally my son."

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there u have it! whatcha think? please review and let me know?! please?

Chapter 3 : Reunion