Title: Broken

Rating: T

AU: Uh huh, you bet

Summary: ―AU, KakAnko― Kakashi never asked to meet her. He never asked for his world to change. But for better or worse, when a broken girl stumbles into his life, it WILL change, as he tries to put her together again.

Author's Notes – Just 'cause I can (and 'cause this is AU), I'm going to change things up a little. Mostly ages. Unless it says differently somewhere in the story (or I say differently), all the otherwise adult characters (Kakashi, Anko, Kurenai, Asuma, and so on…) are going to be thirteen, or somewhere around there. Why? Well, one, for the sake of the story, and two…just 'cause I can. Also, I'm going to bring back a few otherwise dead characters. That doesn't mean they'll live to see the end of the story though. So…read!

Disclaimer ― Don't own Naruto or the song Broken.

With my wide eyes
I've seen worlds that don't belong
My mouth is dry with words I cannot verbalize
Tell me why we live like this

Broken – I

"Come on, get a move on!" Obito called impatiently over his shoulder. He stopped for a minute to glare at Kakashi, who was talking with Rin. God that girl was really being stupid for someone who was so smart. If only she knew what Obito did...

"Hey, I'm hungry, let's go!"

Kakashi sighed at his friend's impatience. Couldn't the damn kid wait five freakin' minutes?

"Calm down Obito-kun." Rin said, smiling. "We're coming, we're coming." She flashed Kakashi a quick smile before picking up her pace. Kakashi shoved his hands into his pockets and walked slowly after them. Obito could be really annoying sometimes. And why'd be have to be so damn impatient, anyway?

"The food will still be there, you know." Kakashi said as he sped up as well, walking next to his two friends. "Minato-Sensei isn't going to eat it all."

"You never know." Obito said darkly. "I wouldn't put it past Minato-Sensei to do just that."

Rin laughed. Kakashi just rolled his eyes.

"I don't think even Minato-Sensei could eat four meals right in a row, Obito."

"Ah shut up Kakashi. I just don't want to be late."

"Since when?" Rin and Kakashi asked at the same time.

"Since there's food involved, now let's go!"

And he was off, leaving Rin and Kakashi to trail behind. Again. Kakashi shook his head. Obito really needed to learn the art of patience. For as long as the two boys had known each other, Obito had always been in a hurry, which was really ironic, considering he was always late.

For as long as they had known each other. That was, Kakashi realized now, seven years. Ever since he had entered the group home. His mother had died of a disease and his father, out of grief and depression, had killed himself. Kakashi had been sent to the group home as a scared orphan who wanted to know when his mommy and daddy were coming home. When he'd met Obito, who had been there for most of his life after his parents died in a car crash, he'd stopped being so scared. Even at the age of six, Obito had been loud and proud, and knew how to make anyone feel better. It had amused Kakashi when he was younger. Now, of course, it just annoyed the silver-haired teen.

"Hello Minato-Sensei." Rin's pleasant voice snapped Kakashi out of his thoughts. Without even realizing it, they had arrived at the restaurant. Minato gave the three a lazy wave.

"You guys are actually early. Congratulations."

He wasn't really there Sensei. But he had taken care of the three for as long as they could remember (for Obito and Kakashi, that was seven years. For Rin, who had entered the home about a year later, that was six.), and had taught them quite a bit. So they took to calling him 'Sensei'. He had said once, that while he wasn't allowed to pick favorites among the kids, the three of them were definitely favorites of his. And if they ever told anyone, they'd be in a lot of trouble.

"Obito rushed us here." Kakashi said as he took a seat. "You know what he's like when there's food involved."

"Too bad he can't be like that when it comes to school." Minato laughed as Obito pouted. "Anyways, eat up. Food's on me."

"Don't need to tell us twice!" Obito said happily, grabbing his fork and digging in. Rin and Kakashi were a little politer about it, and ate their food sparingly. Rin didn't even finish. She normally didn't.

"So, Minato-Sensei, what's the occasion?" She asked as she watched her teammates eat. Minato looked at her devilishly.

"Can't a guy treat some kids to lunch?"

"Noifumegwa." Or that was what it sounded like anyway, considering Obito was talking through a mouthful of food. Rin and Kakashi gave him a scathing look. Minato said, in a pleasant voice,

"Sorry Obito, didn't catch that. What did you say?"

He swallowed a few times before saying, "I said you can if you're trying to kill us. Did you slip something in the food before we got here?"

"Hey, I'm responsible for you three, I can't kill you." Minato said. "Anyways, no, I didn't spike the food ― or the drinks, before you ask."

"Are they kicking us out?" Kakashi asked, looking over his drink. Minato raised an eyebrow at the silver-haired teen.

"Would that surprise you?"

"Very funny."

"You're not being kicked out." Minato sighed. "God, you three are so paranoid. I have to knock that out of you before you leave Konoha. I've treated you to lunch before, it's not like this is the first time."

"The last time you treated us we were nine." Obito said. "That's four years ago, Sensei."

"Wow Obito," Kakashi said in a bored voice, "you did all that in your head."

"Shut up!" Obito snapped. Even by Kakashi's standards, that was low, taking a shot at Obito's terrible math skills.

"Right. Sorry."

"Like hell you are." Obito was upset now. Kakashi always said stupid stuff like that, then tried to make it look like was joking. What a jerk.

"All right, all right, that's enough." Minato said quickly, trying to divert what he knew would become a fight. "Look, nobody's getting killed, and nobody's being kicked out of the home. I just thought I'd treat you all to a nice lunch, considering how hard you've been working lately, I thought you deserved a treat. But if you insist on acting like this, I'll just leave and you three can pay-"

"We're sorry." All three said at once. None of them had any cash on them.

"Yeah. That's what I thought."

Kakashi rolled his eyes again and looked around the small restaurant. It was a small place in a small town, but it was very popular, and almost always packed. Kakashi recognized a lot of people there.

Then his eyes landed on one he didn't know.

"Who's that?"

Obito and Rin looked up from their lunches. Minato looked over his shoulder.

"Who?"

"Her." He pointed to a girl sitting by herself a few tables away from them. She had long purple hair, pulled up in a messy pony-tail, and light brown eyes. Her feet, which dangled a few feet off the ground, were swinging back and forth carelessly. She was wearing a brown t-shirt that looked too big for her, and a pair of shorts.

"Never seen her before." Rin said, sounding a little puzzled.. "Is she new in town?"

"Hardly." Obito snorted, going back to his lunch. Everyone gave him a look.

"You know her, Obito?" Minato asked in a neutral voice. The dark-haired boy nodded.

"Yeah, I do." He said, poking his food with his fork. "Her name's Mitarashi Anko. She's in my class at school."

"She's our age?" Rin asked in a low voice, looking at her in surprise.

"No, she's a year younger." Obito was stabbing his food now. It was obvious he didn't want to talk about the girl. "But she's smart, she skipped a grade."

Kakashi wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a note of disgust in Obito's voice. Apparently Rin heard it too, because she said, "You don't sound like you like her much, Obito-kun. What's so bad about her?"

"She's weird." Obito said, shooting the girl – Anko – a glare. "I mean, you haven't talked to her Rin, she's downright creepy. And you know that Orochimaru guy, the one that lives at the end of town? He's her guardian."

"What happened to her parents?" Minato asked. He often took interest in kids who didn't have parents.

"Dunno, do I?" Obito shrugged sullenly. "All I know is they died when she was little. She's lived with that Orochimaru creep ever since."

"Obito, you should respect your elders." Minato said sternly. Rin and Kakashi were secretly agreeing with Obito, however. They'd seen Orochimaru on the streets a few times. He was seriously weird.

The conversation was dropped at last, but Kakashi couldn't stop himself from looking at the young girl every now and then. She looked rather lonely, sitting all by herself. But he knew if he suggested inviting her to sit with them, Obito would throw fit. It was obvious he had a grudge against her.

"Thanks for lunch, Minato-Sensei." Rin said as they left the restaurant about half an hour later. Obito looked stuffed and relaxed. He'd asked for seconds and thirds of everything. Minato had kiddingly said that Obito was going to wipe out his bank account with all the food he hate. The boy had instantly agreed.

"Oi, Uchiha!"

The annoyed voice caught everyone's attention, and they looked around. The girl Kakashi had seen in the restaurant – Anko – was standing behind them. Her brown eyes were fixed on Obito, who instantly tensed.

"What do you want, Mitarashi?"

"Don't talk about me behind my back. Or Orochimaru-sama. Got it?"

Obito pretended to play dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Do I look like one of the teachers at school?" Obito growled under his breath. "I heard you in the restaurant, Uchiha. And I mean it, you talk about me or him like that again, and you'll be sorry."

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do?"

And before anyone – even Minato – had a chance to react, Anko had balled her fist and slammed Obito has hard as she could in the cheek. The boy yelled in surprise and pain as he was thrown backwards.

"That!" Anko snapped before turning and running down the street. Kakashi, Rin, and Minato stared after her. Obito groaned as he held his cheek.

"Damn she hits hard."

"You're late."

The cold, cruel voice rang through the house as Anko opened the door. Her shoulders scrunched up to her ears and she bit her lip. She'd hoped Orochimaru wouldn't notice she had been gone for so long.

No such luck though.

"Sorry." She muttered, closing the door. Even though she couldn't see him, she knew he was nearby. "I…got held up."

"I expected better from you, Anko."

Well, at least he was only scolding her. It could have been worse, so much worse…

"I'm sorry." She muttered again, turning and bowing respectively. "I really…didn't mean to be."

He walked over to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. And for one, shining minute, she wondered if maybe she would get off with just a scolding this time.

She was wrong to hope.

A fist connected with Anko's stomach. She coughed and doubled over, falling to her knees, holding her stomach tightly. Her forehead was pressed against the floor, and she was gasping for breath. Orochimaru was still standing over her.

"You won't be late again, will you?"

"N-No." She managed to choke out. Then, realizing what she had forgotten, she added, "Orochimaru-sama," in what she hoped passed for a respecting voice.

"Good. Go to your room."

She stumbled up and ran upstairs, ignoring the fact that she could still barely breath. Once in the safety of her room, she collapsed onto her bed and curled up, wrapping her arms around her knees and holding them tightly against her chest, blinking back tears.

Still…he had definitely done worse.

Author's Note: Yup. So that's the first chapter. Really, I just want to write about Kakashi and Anko, I love that pairing. Anyways, maybe you've noticed I don't toe the lines of grammar when it comes to certain things (and if you didn't, you will soon). If you've read my other stories, you already know I think a lot grammar is pretty much useless (it's mostly the stupid 'word rules' that I ignore. I still use periods and commas and all that, obviously). If you're new to my stories, then I'm warning you now: I ignore reviews that say my grammar is terrible. So, moving past that, review please, and let me know if this is worth continuing (I hope you think it is...I really like working on this).―Sam