A/N: Okay, I'm back with a new story. This story has been in my head for a while. It's Alternate Universe so some people are slightly different. The story is a little different too. Also it's a Naruto/Ino fic. If you don't like any or all of this, then simply don't read the story.

Life was normal for little Sakura Haruno. She played quietly in her room while her mom was out getting groceries. All she ever knew about life and family was her and her mom. Her mother would work two jobs in order to help make ends meet. While her mom was at work, Yuhi Kurenai would watch over the little 4 year old.

Her dad had been killed when her mother was still pregnant with her. He had been on of the hundreds of shinobi killed during the Kyuubi attack. That didn't bother her though. Pretty much she was just as happy as every other 4 year old in Konoha. Except for one.

"Sakura sweetie! Come down here. I want to show you something."

Sakura jumped to her feet and ran towards the front door where her mother's voice just came from. As she rounded the corner, and saw her mother taking off her coat that was damp with rain and hanging it to dry. She lept into her mother's arms giggling, "Mommy! I missed you!"

Mrs. Haruno smiled as she hugged her daughter back, "I missed you too honey." She then sat her little girl on the ground. "Now, I have someone I want you to meet okay?"

Sakura nodded her head.

Mrs. Haruno stepped aside to reveal a blonde haired boy about Sakura's age. The boy quickly realized he was visible and hid back behind Mrs. Haruno once again. She smiled and held out her hand behind her, "Come on little one. You're safe here."

A small hand took hers as she guided him out from behind her. Sakura now got a good look at the child and was sad. The hair that was blonde in spots was drenched and flattened with a mixture of blood and rain. His face has several bruises and one of his eyes was swollen shot. His shirt was almost completely ripped off. His gaze was one the ground not looking up. He stiffened when he felt two arms wrap around him in a hug.

Sakura let him go and smiled, "What's you're name?"

The boy kept his eyes on the ground, "Uzumaki Naruto."

Sakura giggled, "That's a funny name."

Naruto sniffled, "Sorry."

Sakura suddenly engulfed him in a hug, "Let's be best friends okay?"

Naruto stiffened as he was unsure what to do. He slowly hugged her back, "Um, okay."

Mrs. Haruno smiled at the two. She was glad that Naruto seemed to not be completely terrified of Sakura like he was of her when she first tried to help him.

---Flashback---

Mrs. Haruno slowly walked down the street from her second job. 'Another long day. It was much easier before the attack.' Her attention was regained though when she heard some commotion in an alley she just passed. He looked and saw a pair of Gennins kicking something on the ground.

"That will show you to run from us. I don't even know why the Third has let you live this long."

"Yeah, we should do everyone a favor and take you out right now!"

Mrs. Haruno walked forward and caught a glimpse of a small child laying cuddled on the ground trying to protect his head from the attack of the Shinobi. She felt her blood boil, "HEY! You stop that! Shinobi are suppose to protect the villagers not attack them!"

The Gennins spun around.

"Shut up lady, you don't know anything."

Mrs. Haruno stepped forward pass the Gennins and got a look at the child. The child looked up slightly trying to figure out what happened to the unrelenting attack. It was then that Mrs. Haruno saw the unmistakable whisker marks on his face. She gasped as she took a few steps back holding her chest, "It's you."

One of the Gennins smirked, "See. It's the little demon boy."

Mrs. Haruno kept her eyes on Naruto. 'My husband died in that battle. How can I protect this child?'

She reached down to touch is cheek but Naruto quickly moved away cowering in the corner of the alley. She stepped forward again and touched his cheek. Naruto originally tried to move away again but began to whimper like an injured animal when he realized he was trapped.

"Please-"

Mrs. Haruno looked down at the source of the small whisper of a voice. Naruto looked up at her with begging eyes, "Please Lady. Don't hurt me."

One of the Gennins snapped, "Shut up you little curse!"

Mrs. Haruno looked down at the child as flashes of her own daughter crossed her mind. She stood up picking up the boy and holding him tight as tears fell down her cheeks, "It's okay now. I won't let them hurt you."

"What makes you think you can stop us! We'll kill you two you sympathizer!" Both Gennins

Mrs. Haruno shield the child with her body and prepared for the attack but it never came. There was the sound of rustling. She looked up to see both Gennins on the ground and saw a Shinobi with a mask over his face standing there, "You two are dishonorable to the Shinobi. I will report you both at once."

Mrs. Haruno smiled, "Thank you so much."

The Shinobi's smile was evident with the closure of his uncovered eye, "It's nothing. I owed that kids dad so now we're even." He then vanished

---End of Flashback---

Mrs. Haruno smiled as she looked back at her daughter and the little boy, "Well Sakura, why don't you go into my closet and get one of your dad's old shirts okay? I'm going to get this little one cleaned up." She then reached down picked up Naruto.

Naruto held tightly to Mrs. Haruno as he mumbled against the arm that held him, "Umm, I'm sorry."

Mrs. Haruno chuckled, "It's okay. Now lets go get that bath."

Naruto gulped at the thought of the bath. Mrs. Haruno smiled as she went to start his bath.

---10 minutes later---

Mrs. Haruno sighed as she scrubbed the shampoo into Naruto's hair trying to get out all the dirt and blood. From the look of it this was not all fresh blood. "Where do you live at?"

Naruto looked down ashamed, "Nowhere."

"You don't have a home?"

"The lady at the place with the other kids said I couldn't come back. She said no one would want to be my mommy and daddy."

Mrs. Haruno sneered, "I'll have to have a talk with Hokage-sama about this." She picked up a cup and started to rinse Naruto's hair. She decided that he definitely needed a hair cut.

There was a quiet knock on the bathroom door. Mrs. Haruno looked at the open door to see Sakura standing there hugging one of her dad's old shirts, "Mommy, there's some strange people downstairs."

"Strange people?"

Sakura nodded, "Uh-huh, there's these people with masks on their face that make them look like animals, and this old man with a funny hat, and this guy with only one eye."

Mrs. Haruno quickly picked up Naruto drying him off and putting the shirt Sakura was holding on him. She then held out a hand to Naruto. He still seemed hesitant to take it. Sakura ran up to him and took his arm dragging him with her, "You have to see the one eye man."