A/N: for anyone curious, Emiko is around the same age as Kakashi, a few months older than him. Naruto was born when Kakashi was fourteen. I just thought I should mention it.

The Altruistic Caregiver

CHAPTER ONE

Emiko had a hard time sleeping for a few days as she waited for her dependent. The days were agonizingly slow, and her nights were filled with a hurricane of different thoughts and emotions. Excitement, fear, sadness, repeat.

Emiko spent most of her younger years in a crummy, understaffed orphanage. As she got older, she helped out and practically helped raise a few kids— despite being a baby herself. From the ages of five to twelve, she lived at the orphanage and did her best to help before she had to leave. The orphanage was out of room, and she had proved herself to be independent enough to survive. She didn't like it, but she wasn't given a choice. A part of her missed it so much— being able to take care of people. That was one of the reasons she decided to go through with this wet nurse thing, other than the money.

Another reason was that she wanted to forget, even for a little while— about her loss and PTSD. Sometimes, she'll catch a whiff of something that smells like that man. Some nights it feels like it's happening all over again. He was-

Knock, knock, knock, knock!

Emiko jumps at the sudden noise, quickly standing up from the couch with a racing heart. She couldn't help the anxiety, "What if it's them? What if they change their mind? Can they do that?"

She pauses before the door, her hand gripping the knob as she takes a deep breath. Her honey-dew eyes flutter closed for a moment before she gathers herself and turns the handle, pulling the door open with a determined expression.

In front of her was a young boy, much younger than her from the looks of it. He was peering up at her with big brown eyes, a few strands of his shaggy brown hair falling in front of them. He looked younger than ten. The boy had on a black shirt, blue shorts with a kunai bag, blue sandals, and a black headband with the Leaf insignia around his forehead.

"...Hello?" Emiko frowns with disappointment, tilting her head at the boy with curiosity.

"I'm a Genin... hired to deliver him to you." The boy turns around so his back is facing her.

Emiko held her breath— strapped to his back was a small, sleeping baby. He looked maybe a few weeks old. He didn't have too distinguished of features yet, looking much like any other baby… if it wasn't for the sunshine yellow hair and whisker-like marks on his cheeks. She wondered if they were scars and tried to feel them, but nothing. It was as if they were tattoos. The baby boy yawns, starting to wake up from her soft touch. His eyes slowly opened, blond eyelashes fluttering sleepily.

His big, bright cerulean eyes peered up at her and her heart swooned. He didn't cry when he saw her, a stranger. Instead, his mouth pulled into a big gummy smile as his blue eyes stayed on her.

At that moment, she thinks that nothing could be more valuable or significant than the tiny, precious life in front of her.

She picks up the baby boy from the carrier on the Genin's back, her lips tugging into an affectionate smile as a giggle leaves the infant's mouth.

"What's his name?" Her eyes never left the bundle of joy in her arms, nor did her smile leave. The Genin takes a pause as if he's thinking.

"...Uzumaki Naruto." He says it in a grim tone as if the boy was cursed.

She frowns, honey-dew eyes snapping to the boy with confusion. Before she could say anything, he was starting to leave and Naruto was starting to fuss in her arms. So, she did not attempt to stop the boy— only shushing Naruto softly as she rubbed his back, taking him inside the apartment.

She makes her way to the couch with the fussy baby, taking a seat. She lies Naruto on the cushion beside her as she takes off the shirt she had on, before picking him back up and bringing his head to one of her breasts. She holds an arm under him for support as he begins to latch hungrily.

If she had to guess, they'd probably switch his nurse after a month or so to avoid anyone getting too attached. She'd get a payment weekly. Some of it was to go towards anything she would need like diapers, wipes, and such. The rest was her getting paid for her work, which means it's going to end up going towards bills.

She admires the baby, an almost longing look behind her green eyes. She brushes a finger against his cheek with a smile, "I don't know how long we'll be together, but let's be friends until then- 'kay?"

She realized later, it was the first night in months that she wasn't plagued by nightmares when she slept.