Important note. Please read.

-Please do not give me constructive criticism. I realize it can help some people, but I do not want it. I am satisfied with the way I write and do not have the time to change it, nor do I want to. If you do not like my style you may leave. 

-Please do not take ideas, or advertise yourself in the comments. Both are rather rude.

-Please enjoy, and if you have ideas, suggestions or questions, please do PM this account.

Thank you for reading.

Third person pov

"So he won't be conscious for a few days?" Minato frowned. He felt disappointed to say the least. He wanted to find out what possibly could have happened to the boy even more so than before. The nurses had cleaned him up considerably, and now Minato felt more shocked than he he'd been when they found the boy to begin with! 

His hair was a yellow that would make the sun jealous, matching Minato's with ease. Not only that, but now looking at his facial structure, he could have easily passed as Minato's twin were he a little older. It was a little odd to say the least. If this kid really was a Konoha shinobi, how had Minato never seen him before? They were so similar in appearance, Minato was positive he would be unable to miss him in a crowd.

"I'm afraid not, Minato-san. His chakra reserves are almost completely depleted. Honestly, it's a miracle he's even breathing right now." The nurse responded in a worried tone, glancing over at the boy in the bed. It was all too true. When this boy, whoever he happened to be, got here, he was on the verge of death. How he'd made the trip was beyond them. Hell, how the kid was semi-conscious when he arrived was a mystery in and of itself. 

"He was awake when we got him here..." Minato trailed off.

"Just barely." The nurse agreed. "But he passed out minutes later. It will take him a while to get back hi-"

As if on cue, Naruto once again achieved the impossible. Despite his chakra exhaustion and the nurse's analysis of his state, he sat bolt upright with a loud gasp. His heart monitor spike with the movement as the blonde blinked rapidly, gasping for air as though he'd been drowning moments before. His head swiveled left and right, his blue eyes struggling to adjust to the sudden burst of light.

"O-Oh." Was all the nurse could mutter out. Minato snapped his gaping mouth shut as the boy's eyes met his own. While the shape was significantly different, the shade was unmistakably identical to his own. It was a unique color Minato had never seen on anyone else other than himself, like the color of the ocean mixed with the hue of the sky. 

"Wh-What's going on?" Naruto looked his father up and down. His body hurt like hell, and his throat felt so raw it might start bleeding. "Am I dead?"

"You're not dead, Naruto. We used our last resort, remember? We came back to try and fix it." Kurama reminded softly. Naruto's mind was in such a wretched state that even he couldn't bring himself to make a quip at the boy. The losses the poor blonde had experienced had built up more and more, and Kakashi had been the breaking point. Well, almost, anyway. While in shambles, it was quite clear to Kurama that Naruto hadn't quite reached the point of insanity. 

Yet.

Naruto blinked a few times more, his eyes watering almost against his will as the image of his dead sensei flashed behind his eyes. Naruto had failed to protect so many people, he had hoped he could at least be there for the only person he had left. Turns out, he'd failed at that too, and now he was here. With a shot to fix it all. He took another deep breath. Right, he could cry later. He needed to... to focus.

"That's the spirit!" Kurama was just glad Naruto wasn't turning into a catatonic vegetable, because honestly, that's what the nine-tailed beast had been expecting. Determination could only get one so far. Though, Kurama did recall the time Naruto managed to run faster than a train with relative ease using nothing but will power and a good half of the energy he somehow kept stored away in his body. That same day, he'd struggled to outrun a horse. Kurama supposed that meant anything was possible when it came to the enigma that was Naruto Uzumaki.

"No, you're not dead. You're in the hospital." Minato kept his tone soft and as comforting as possible. For no reason in particular, it made Naruto want to cry, but he refrained. If they were in the past, that meant Kakashi wasn't dead yet. That it hadn't even happened, right? Right. 

"You literally saw him right before you passed out. Do you not remember that?" Kurama squinted. "Maybe your brain is more broken than I thought."

"Oh." Naruto said numbly. "In Konoha?" He knew that was a stupid question, but in his time, Konoha had been demolished. Turned into a crater, really. The idea that it was still here was nearly unfathomable in his mind.

"Yes." Minato said with a nod. He eyed the younger blonde with some cautious, and a whole lot of curiosity. "What's your name?"

"Don't answer that."

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"Dammit."

Minato blinked a few times. Of all the names he'd been expecting, he hadn't expected Uzumaki to be one of them. From what Kushina said, most Uzumaki were known for their red hair and indigo, or red, eyes. Naruto had none of those things. He looked more related to Minato himself if anything else. He sure hoped he wasn't somehow related to his girlfriend.

"You don't have red hair." Minato chuckled. Naruto looked a little confused for a moment before he nodded.

"My mother hailed from Uzu, but my dad didn't really have a clan. I take more after him." Naruto said awkwardly, averting his gaze. If Kakashi was alive in this time, it meant Obito was too. From what the Uzumaki could gather, the deranged Uchiha had lost it when Rin died. So, in theory, as long as Rin wasn't dead yet...

"Is there someone we can call for you? A friend or relative?" Minato asked as the nurse, getting over her initial shock, rushed off the find a doctor. "We're going to have to ask you a few questions. I'm sure the Hokage will be wanting to see you as well. Neither of us recognized you... but if you're not up to it-"

"I don't have any family anymore, so don't worry about it." Naruto assured with a weak smile. "And I think I can handle a few questions. Believe it." Naruto's catchphrase slipped out before he could stop it, and he felt a little more lighthearted as a result.

Minato couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't feel this blonde was an intruder despite the fact that literally everything pointed to him being just that. Nobody recognized him, someone with his appearance wasn't documented in any files, and moreover, the number on the back of his headband wasn't registered. 

But, somehow, Minato couldn't help but trust him.

"What's your name?" Naruto coughed out. Minato had been staring at him for a solid thirty seconds with a faraway look in his eyes that either indicated he was deep in thought or having some sort of dramatic flashback. Naruto could still remember the immense confusion he'd felt when Obito suddenly just stopped and stared at nothing in particular for a good five seconds before continuing. Later, it was revealed that "images of Rin" were flashing before his very eyes.

"Oh, how rude of me! My name is Minato Namikaze. I'm the leader of the team that found you. You were in pretty bad shape when Rin found you. I'm actually surprised you're awake. The nurse said you'd be out for a few days." Minato grinned at Naruto, hoping it would cheer the teen up. Naruto, whatever kind of name that was, seemed quite down and possibly a little confused. "Do you remember what happened to you? You looked like you'd just gotten out of a firefight."

"It's nice to meet you, Minato-san. Thanks for bringing me in. I'd probably be toast if you hadn't." Naruto gave a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his neck in a way that was rather familiar. "I'm not to sure what happened. It's a little fuzzy. I know my sensei and I were in a fight, and..."

Minato frowned at the look that took over Naruto's face. It was quite clear what had happened simply by the drop of his expression. "I'm sorry for your loss, Naruto." He said in a solemn tone.

Naruto forced the grin back onto his face. It was fine. He could save Kakashi this time, along with everyone else, and his home. A second chance really wasn't something one was presented with everyday, so Naruto would have to make the best of it. 

"I'll be alright, Minato-san! Naruto Uzumaki always bounces back." Naruto assured. As if to prove his point, he swung his legs over the side of his bed and stood up. Minato was surprised by the kids sudden burst of enthusiasm, and he was even more surprised when he didn't fall over. Somehow, Minato had been expecting the kid to be more like him in a way, but he could see now that wasn't exactly the case. "Do you know where my clothes are?"

"You shouldn't be up and walking around yet. You're still recovering, Naruto." Minato said, but Naruto was already walking towards the shelves by the bathroom door, looking in the plastic lids loudly while assuring Minato, also loudly, that he'd be fine and that there was absolutely nothing to worry about.

Kurama chuckled. Maybe determination could get one farther than he'd originally thought.