Naruto was the best out of the entire Konoha 12, with children. Sasuke would joke that the only reason why is because they're so much like him. But when the war was over and two years passed at 18 Naruto Uzumaki, Jonin of Konoha, became Sensei to the new generation of team seven. The three genin actually passed his test, and where ecstatic about becoming the students of the next Hokage.

They went on missions, trained, meet their predecessors team Kakashi. They laughed, cried, and spent nearly all of their days together, as a team should. Awhile after they all became Chunin, they went on a regular B-rank mission without Naruto, who was busy with an ANBU mission. When Naruto went to welcome them back only to see two out of his original three students, he felt as if his soul would self-destruct. So when his students explained the mission and broke into tears halfway, he took them to his apartment and let them stay for a week. His words rang in the 13 year olds heads for the rest of their lives: "If we didn't carry our dead inside us, we would be empty."

Yes, Naruto knew how to deal with kids, especially shinobi kids. So when his students left after their week with him, he knew they were no longer children. The same day they left Naruto showed up at Kakashi's doorstep, glassy eyed. Lying on Kakashi's comfortable couch, he thought that maybe Sasuke was right, he's a lot like a kid himself.

War veteran and Hero Naruto Uzumaki was still just a child, because for the life of him, it kept him sane.

Sasuke hated children. They cried and whined and were just generally annoying. Then again, so was Naruto but he wouldn't get into that.

When he was hospitalized after the war (the rinnegain was killing him, apparently. Sakura however, the smartass that she was, fixed him.) he would take walks around Konoha General Hospital. One day, he passed by the children's ward. Curious, Sasuke peeked in. Children who were not bound to wheel chairs and IV's ran around the brightly painted play room. Those who were weighed down watched and played with toys and board games. Sasuke was about to shut the door when a child near the door tripped over his own two feet and fell. Hard.

The boy whimpered and rubbed his bruised nose, and other kids stopped to gasp and ask if he was alright. Not knowing what came over himself, Sasuke stepped through the door and knelt in front of the five year old. None of the children seemed surprised though and Sasuke checked the boy over. A startling fact, however, said boy was blind. After helping the boy over to a nurse (who had rushed over at the commotion) he was about to leave when the boy gripped for his larger hand. Sasuke gave it to him and the little boy looked up with white, unseeing eyes, smiling. "Thanks" he chirped " Nii-san!"

Back in his hospital room Sasuke pressed his fingers to his forehead and whispered. "Thanks, Nii-san."

If Sakura noticed his puffy eyes when she came to check up on him, she didn't mention it.

Sakura had a bad experience with a baby once, and it's not as funny as it sounds. She was thirteen, going on fourteen when it happened.

Sakura was trained as a front- line medic-nin, so she was the go-to medic when it came to serious trauma. As such, she was used to being called to other parts of the Hospital when the need arises. So when a medic began to drag her off and list patient and trauma and such she wasn't surprised, until they reached the maternity ward. Of course, she had been here before with Tsunade- sama and had delivered babies by herself as well, the medic had spoken of trauma. It felt as if one of Lee's iron weights had settled in her stomach.

After an hour of doing their best, the team of trauma medics had deemed the new-born child a lost cause. Sakura delivered the news to the stunned first-time mother and father. It was the first time she delivered such news to a civilian family, not a shinobi one. It broke her something fierce.

Sakura was familiar with the term 'lost cause'. But couldn't help but think on it. What if the child had grown up to be a medic themselves? Or a ninja? It didn't even matter if it had grown up to be a whore; Sakura just wished it had the chance to grow up. She knew life wasn't fair, but that day she felt that it was just so unfair. So unfair that she ended up leveling a training ground and head-butting a perverted drunk through 3 walls.

As much at Sakura was Sakura 'talk shit get hit' Haruno, she was also just a young girl with a heart of gold. That day however was alchemy and Sakura realized that her once heat of gold was now encased in steel. She was no longer a child.

Kakashi loved his students, he really did.

The afternoon Naruto had shown up on his doorstep, Kakashi simply took his hand and lead him to the couch. After his student spilled the details they had hot tea and a healthy dinner. Kakashi really didn't want Naruto to sleep on his couch (it seemed rude to him) but Naruto was already asleep when he finished the dishes. So after covering his youngest student with blankets, Kakashi went to sleep himself.

(Two hours later he was awoken by small, heartbreaking sobs coming from his living room. Getting up and taking his pillow and blanket with him, Kakashi headed to the source of the noise. Naruto was crying in his sleep. Kakashi settled himself on the floor next to him. Gently as not to rouse him, Kakashi took Naruto's smaller hand and held it in his own. Hands drenched in blood, that has seen war together, peace together. Naruto's tears stopped, and Kakashi could finally sleep.)

Three years before, Sasuke still in his hospital shirt and shorts with the med bracelet and all; appeared on his doorstep looking for the life of him, lost. After getting some tea and food into the Uchiha, Sasuke spilled about the little blind boy. Kakashi listened and nodded even when the subject of Itachi came up and his student fell asleep on his kitchen table that by then was covered in tears, emotionally exhausted.

(Kakashi had gently shifted Sasuke until he could pick him up properly, in a firemen's carry. It was midday so Kakashi had taken the most unused rooftops to the hospital. After sneaking in and depositing his puffy eyed student on his bed, Kakashi sought out Sakura. After telling her in as little detail as possible about what happened, he left, confidant his female student wouldn't say anything.)

And nearly three years before that, Sakura had a little breakdown. 'Little' being a understatement of large proportions. It also lead to a great change in her demeanor, as a medic. A week after the incident, Sakura accompanied Kakashi, Gai, and Lee on a B-rank. And Kakashi had never seen his female so in charge as when Lee broke his leg on a missing-nin's head.

(When they returned to Konoha and went out for lunch together Sakura seemed fine. Until she sighed and asked; "What do you think Narutos doing, now?" Kakashi was so taken aback that he had answered "Training, I hope?" which caused the pinkette to laugh in mirth.)

Yes, Kakashi would always be there for his students.

His children.