A Soul's Salvation

A/N: Ok, three revisions, two hissy fits, and a migraine later, and this chapter is done. Sadly, each time I wrote this chapter, it came out horribly. I know that I'm probably my own worst enemy, but unless I am happy, I'm not posting.

So, please enjoy, and I'm happy/sad to say is that there is one final chapter and epilogue to go. So, thank you for reading, and hanging out with me for this fic.

Please read and review.

*Thanks Nation Of One....I fixed the boo-boo and it now reads Successor.*

~!~

Sakura looked around and sighed. Where in the hell was everyone? When she arrived at the center of the village, she found it to be empty.

She called out to a villager, and was told that the hokage ordered everyone to return to their homes, in order to cool down. Sighing, she turned and began to walk back towards Naruto's apartment, but froze when someone stepped in front of her.

His dark eyes studied her, and he then said, “Sakura, we need to talk.”

Lifting her eyebrow, she replied, “I thought that Tsunade-sensei told everyone to go home. Why are you still here, Sasuke?”

“I saw you with the idiot.” Sasuke muttered. “He isn't good enough for you, Sakura. When will you realize that he is not in our league? Just because you feel guilty over hitting him, you have fooled yourself into believing that you are in love with him.”

Narrowing her eyes, she calmly asked, “So, it was you who broke into Naruto's apartment and destroyed his pictures, wasn't it? It was also you who wrote that hateful comment on his door.”

Sasuke smirked. “It was all true.” He said, his tone sharp. “He did kill the fourth hokage. Everyone in this village has forgotten just what he is, and I'll be damned if I let you throw yourself or this village away on that beast.”

“The only beast here, is you.” Sakura snapped, her tone dangerous. “You knew how important those pictures were to him. He cherished those pictures, and you destroyed them because you are nothing more than a hateful, arrogant brat.”

Sighing, Sasuke reached out and frowned when the girl before him yanked out of his grasp. “Don't touch me.” She hissed, her green eyes narrowing. “I was stupid to ever believe that you were worth my love, and now, I can see you with my eyes wide open and I'm ashamed that I tossed Naruto over for you when we were kids, but then again, kids are always doing stupid things, and falling for you was pretty stupid of me.”

“Damn it, Sakura,” Sasuke snapped, his patience wearing thin. “Stop acting like this. You're behaving like a spoiled child.”

“Me?” Sakura asked, disbelieving. “You are the one going around spray painting hateful words, and ripping up pictures. If you ask me, you're the child.”

Sasuke glared down at the woman, but then looked up to see Neji and Kiba stomping towards him and Sakura. He glanced down at her, and then quietly said, “This conversation is not over, Sakura. You will hear me out, and you will come to your senses.”

Before she could reply, his hands quickly made several seals and he disappeared in a poof of smoke, leaving an angry and saddened Sakura behind. When a warm hand fell on her shoulder, she looked up to find Neji and Kiba staring at her, their mouths set in hard lines.

“What did he say to you?” Neji quietly asked, his eyes locked onto Sakura's.

The young woman sighed and then quietly replied, “I never thought that I could be so wrong about someone, Neji. I thought that Sasuke was a good person, and that once he had killed his brother, that goodness would emerge. But, after what he just said, and all that he has done, I think that perhaps, he is even worse than Orochimaru.”

Both men stared at the girl, and then Kiba quietly asked, “Where is Naruto? Why isn't he with you?”

“He left the apartment when we saw what Sasuke had written on his door.” Sakura replied, her eyes closing at the memory of those cruel words. “When he put me inside his apartment, I found his pictures ripped up. If Sasuke was looking to hurt Naruto, he did a wonderful job.”

Kiba growled, but Neji shook his head at the dog ninja. “Let's walk Sakura back to Naruto's apartment, and then we will go and look for Naruto.” He said.

Sakura shook her head. “I'd rather go to my apartment.” She murmured. “I can't stand to see those words again. It hurts too much.”

Neji nodded and Kiba sighed. This was not how the confrontation was supposed to turn out. They were going to confront Sasuke, and force him to either leave their friends alone, or fight them. Now, it seemed that Sasuke had hit their friends below the belt, knowing that his actions would drive Naruto into a fighting frenzy, and now, they would need to go and look for the angered, young man and try to get him to calm down.

They walked Sakura back to her apartment, and made her promise that she would not leave, or open the door unless it was one of them, and when she agreed, they left and quickly gathered up some of the other ninja to go and look for Naruto.

It didn't take long to find him, and when they drew closer to him, it was clear that the young man was very angry, though he was trying to control himself. Their small group was cautious, and when they got close enough to him, Kiba called out.

“Hey, Uzumaki!” He said. “What are you doing?”

Naruto clenched his fists and he turned to glare at his friends. “Where is he?” He demanded, knowing full well that they would not tell him. He was so angry that all he wanted to do now was to protect his female, and make sure that the asshole he once considered to be a friend never came near her again.

“We don't know where he is, but Sakura is back at her apartment.” Neji said, his eyes never leaving Naruto.

His head snapped up. “Why is she there?” He growled. “I told her to stay at my apartment.”

“She could not stay there, man.” Kiba said, softly. “Look, I don't know what was written on your door, but it was enough to upset her, and she left to look for you. However, as she was looking for you, she found Sasuke, instead.”

Naruto's teeth lengthened as his rage began to run over him. “Did he touch her?” He demanded, his eyes flashing from red to blue.

Neji and Kiba glanced at each other, but shook their heads. “He tried.” Kiba said. “But, Sakura told him not to touch her. Naruto, I really think that you need to go to her. She is worried, and scared for you.”

The blonde man closed his eyes, and took in several deep breaths. When his eyes finally opened, he moved towards his friends and stopped directly in front of Neji.

“I've never wanted to kill anyone so badly before.” He muttered, his eyes slowly turning back to the bright blue that everyone was used to seeing. “He accused me of killing the fourth hokage.”

The outraged gasps of the group drew Naruto's head up, and Neji calmly stepped forward. “Listen, you did not kill the fourth hokage. Everyone is well aware of who is responsible for his death. You are the cage that keeps that monster from returning, and people should honor you, not fear you. For Sasuke to bring that up shows that he is getting desperate, and will do anything he can to discredit you. Don't give him any ammunition by losing control. Now, go home to your girl. She needs you and after dealing with Sasuke, I'm sure that you can give her the comfort that she needs.”

“She should have broken his arm.” Naruto grumbled, but stuffed his hands in his pockets as his friends began to laugh.

Kiba snorted. “If he would have touched her, he'd probably have to learn how to eat with his feet. Sakura would have yanked both of his arms off. Man, her strength really is something to fear.” He said, grinning.

As hard as he tried, Naruto could not keep the proud grin from spreading across his lips. Soon, he was laughing and shook his head. “It's not her strength people have to worry about. It's her scary temper that people need to fear. There have been times that I could have sworn that she was possessed. I'm just glad that she has decided to aim it somewhere else besides me.”

The group chuckled and Neji patted the blonde on his back. “Go home to Sakura.” He said. “We'll make sure that the Uchiha doesn't bother you, anymore.”

Naruto's grin faded and he sighed. “You know, I wish I could believe that, but we both know that when Sasuke wants something, he will do anything and everything to get it, and what he wants is Sakura.”

“Yeah, and that's why you need to get your ass home and be with her.” Kiba said, his tone hard. “Besides, why give the bastard the satisfaction in seeing both you and Sakura worried.”

“You're right, Kiba.” Naruto said, his tone determined. “I'm going home, and if you need me, just come to our apartment.”

Neji, Kiba, and the other members of their group exchanged confused glances. “Our apartment?” Kiba echoed.

Proudly, Naruto nodded. “Yep. Sakura and I are living together, and have decided to live at her apartment, since it has more space than mine. Besides, I doubt that Sasuke will write something upsetting on the door of the woman that he claims to want.” He sneered.

Neji shook his head. “I wouldn't put it past him.” He murmured, knowing that the Uchiha will stoop to any level to get what he wanted.

Naruto gave him a look, but then shook his head. “Ok, I'm out of here.” He said, the earlier tension gone. “Let me know if you need me.”

He quickly left the field, but was still bothered by the accusations that Sasuke had stirred up. He knew that he wasn't responsible for the hokage's death, but it still hurt to be associated with it. True, he was housing the monster responsible, but he would never escape the prison that the hokage had built for him, and the beast had resigned himself to helping provide chakra for his host.

It hurt him that there were still some doubts as far as he was concerned. Thankfully, his Sakura held no doubts and loved him unconditionally. In her, he would find his peace, and his salvation.

~!~

Sakura jumped up when the door opened and Naruto walked in. Without a word, she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around his neck.

For a moment, he was stunned at the strength of her embrace, but when her hot tears began to slide down his neck, he knew that things had gone on for too long. His baby was hurting because of the selfishness of another, one that they had considered to be a friend.

“It's ok, Sakura.” He murmured, his large hand smoothing down her ruffled hair. “I didn't fight him, and everything will be fine. You'll see.”

When she pulled back, Sakura took in a large breath and said, “I went looking for you.”

“I know.” He said, his blue eyes soft. “Neji and Kiba told me. They also told me that you ran into Sasuke, and that he tried to place his hands on you. Are you all right?”

“No, I'm not all right!” Sakura snapped, her voice raising. “I'm tired of being targeted by that asshole, when all I want to do is live my life with you, and be happy. He didn't want me when we were kids, and for that, I'm thankful, but now that I have finally found what I've wanted, he wants to destroy it, all for the sake of his large ego.”

He searched for the words to sooth her, but standing there, he was helpless to watch her face crumble and she was quickly reduced to sobs, the strain of the day finally catching up to her. Pulling her against him, he did the only think that he could do. He let her cry.

When she finally settled down, she looked up to find him looking at her, and she cringed. “I must seem pretty damn weak right about now.” She muttered.

Smiling tenderly, he shook his head and said, “No, I think that you look beautiful. Don't ever be afraid to show me your tears. I'll never look down on you for them. So, if you need to cry, then do it on my shoulder. This is what is going to make us stronger, Sakura. You never have to wonder what I think of you. I think that you are the most wonderful woman I've ever met.”

Sakura smiled up at him, as the pads of this thumbs brushed away her remaining tears. She reached up, and gently touched her lips to his. Naruto's arms tightened around her, his body beginning to grow warm as her body moved against his.

When she broke the kiss, she leaned back to look at him, but squeaked when he pulled her back against him. His hands moved down her back and stopped just underneath her bottom. His eyes remained locked with hers, as he slowly lifted her off of the floor.

Sakura's sorrow began to melt away as the feeling of lust began to overtake her senses. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she locked her ankles behind him, as his large hands moved from behind her to run over her front.

Her head fell against the wall, as his large hands cupped her breasts through the dress. She could feel his arousal through the rough jeans he wore, and she allowed her hips to grind against him, teasing him.

His body was aching, and before he could stop himself, he allowed his hands to grip the soft material of her dress and ripped it apart, exposing her breasts to his gaze. He licked his lips at the sight of her nipples, already hardened from her desire, and he bent his head down and gently pulled one into his mouth.

While his mouth worked her, his hand came up to cover the other breast, firmly kneading it and causing his girl to softly cry out. Sakura's hands came up to tangle in his wild hair, and she yanked hard enough to get him to pull away from her breast to look at her.

Her lips touched his, and when her mouth opened, he quickly took her invitation and thrust his tongue into her mouth to play with hers. His hand moved slowly away from her breast and down until it was underneath her dress and at the edge of her panties.

Sakura was too distracted by his kiss to notice that he had gripped her panties and only broke the kiss when he yanked the material, causing it to tear away from her body. Now, the only thing separating them was his pants, which he was quickly taking care of.

When he finally released himself, Sakura hissed as the soft head of his cock rubbed against her core, and she closed her eyes as he slowly inched her down until he was fully seated within her. As he began to move, Naruto's lips found hers, and he took complete control of their coupling.

Her body seemed to be on fire, as his hips ground into hers, creating ripples of pleasure to rush through her. His thrusts were stronger than they had been when they were in valley, and a small part of her wondered if this was his way of showing her that he was the only one who could please her.

As if she ever had any doubts.

His body began to shake, as the need to cum began to overtake him. He could feel her body tensing and she was finally driven over the edge when his last thrust grew vicious. Her cries were like music to his ears, as his body released inside of her.

She felt him slowly lowering them to the floor, and he held her against his body, their breaths coming out in harsh pants. When he finally caught his breath, he slowly pulled out of her, and then grinned.

“Feel better?” He asked, knowing that he sure the hell did. When she smiled back at him, his ego swelled. It was always good for a man to know that his lover was pleased. But, now they were both sticky, and sweaty, and he knew what they both needed.

A nice hot shower.

Grinning at Sakura, he smirked at her squeal when he suddenly lifted her, and stood up. He adjusted her in his arms, and closed his eyes when he felt her lips upon his neck. He opened his eyes and was about to walk to the bathroom, but his eyes drifted over to the sliding glass window, and he realized that the blinds had been left open.

Cringing, he quickly turned and walked to the bathroom. Hopefully, Sakura would not notice that the blinds had been open, or else, she would probably freak out. Still, if anyone had been watching, he hoped that they enjoyed the show.

~!~

Sasuke glared at Naruto as he carried Sakura out of the living room. It angered him that the asshole had dared to fuck the woman he desired.

“Enjoy the show?” A soft voice asked.

He turned and found Ino standing behind him, her arms crossed over her chest. Moving forward, she came to stand at Sasuke's side and smiled.

“They make a lovely couple, don't they?” She asked, knowing full well what Sasuke thought. “I've never seen her look at a man the way she looks at Naruto and I'm glad that she finally has someone who loves her.”

“What do you want, Ino?” Sasuke snapped, his eyes glaring at the young woman beside him. He watched as her smile faded and she turned to face him fully.

“I want you to leave her alone.” Ino replied. “If you continue to try and break them up, you will hurt her badly. You claim to care for her, and if that is true, then let her and Naruto enjoy what they have found with each other. You didn't want her, and now that she is the ambassador for our village, you have decided that she is now good enough for you. It isn't fair to her, Sasuke. She loves Naruto, not because she feels guilty, but because he has given to her what she never found with you.”

Sasuke allowed his eyes to return to Sakura's living room, and he shook his head. “He'll never be able to give her what she needs.” He murmured. “She needs a provider, not a loser with dreams of greatness.”

Ino was silent for several moments before she finally asked, “So you refuse to back off?”

Turning, she was shocked to see that his sharingan had been activated and he smirked. “I never give up. Not when I know that something is rightfully mine.” He said.

“I was afraid that you were going to say that.” She whispered. He watched as the young woman faded into the night and then frowned. Something was not right. Ino would not confront him, only to back off in the end.

Turning, he began to walk across the rooftop, but ducked when he caught sight of something moving towards him from the corner of his eye.

When he stood up, he found himself looking at Lord Akio Masahara. The older man looked calm, and Sasuke had to admit, this man made him nervous. He had done his own research on the man and was alarmed at what he had found.

Lord Masahara was a former ninja, who had fought and defeated a warlord who had tried to destroy his village a few years back. His reputation as being ruthless and cold-hearted was well known and Sasuke knew that to fight this man was to face his own death.

The man stood still, watching Sasuke. At first, Sasuke wondered what he was waiting for, but he decided to try and talk his way out of a confrontation. Damn it. If only he had the skills that Itachi had, then he would have no reason to worry about the smug bastard in front of him.

Akio watched as Sasuke assessed him and knew that he was trying to decide if he was going to attack, or run. A smirk formed on his lips and he decided to force the young man to make a decision.

“What's wrong, boy.” Akio said, his tone smooth. “Are you afraid of me? Perhaps you are trying to see a weak point in my defenses with that sharingan of yours. Let me assure you, it would shock me if you were able to find one.”

“You are not without a weakness.” Sasuke gritted out, his eyes moving over the man rapidly, desperately trying to find a weakness, but as the man indicated, it would be hard to find one.

“Perhaps,” Akio murmured. “However, many have tried and many have failed. You will be just the latest in a long line of failures.”

Sasuke's lip curled, but he decided that he would be best served by leaving this confrontation. Besides, it wasn't this arrogant lord that he wanted to fight. It was Naruto.

Akio's eyebrow lifted as the young man disappeared in a cloud of smoke. A thin smile formed on his face, and he calmly walked over to where Sasuke had been standing, and looked down into Sakura's apartment. He watched as the young woman appeared, a content smile on her face.

His eyes widened when the blonde man appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his body, and he suddenly wished that it was him in the young man's place. However, he would not mourn the loss of Sakura. She was happy, and he was content in his decision to help her achieve happiness with the young man.

Turning, he moved away from the sight, and he allowed a rare smile to form on his lips. Well, he could always go and hunt the young man down. He was in the mood for a good fight.

~!~

Sakura awoke and looked over to find Naruto asleep, a smile upon his face. She studied his features and had to admit that he was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. She reached out and brushed a stray piece of hair that had fallen into his eyes, away.

Naruto grumbled in his sleep, and then turned over, his back facing her. Shaking her head, she quietly slipped out of their bed, and grabbed some clothing, before leaving the room.

She went into the kitchen, after dressing in the guest bathroom, and looked into the refrigerator to find something to make for breakfast. Frowning, she remembered that she had, as of yet, gone grocery shopping.

Her mind made up, she reached out and grabbed her purse, and flung it over her shoulder. She quietly left the apartment, sure that she would be back before Naruto awoke, and when he did wake up, he would be treated to a huge breakfast.

She hummed to herself as she walked to the store, and gave friendly smiles to everyone she passed, and who called out to her. She was nearly at the store, but a large hand grabbed onto her arm and pulled her into an alley.

She yanked her arm away and spun around to find Sasuke looking down at her. His face was void of any emotion, and the look in his eyes made her uneasy.

“What do you want, Sasuke?” She demanded, her patience with the young man nearly at an end. She watched as he looked around and froze when he asked, “Are you so desperate for my attention that you would try and make me jealous with that moron, Naruto?”

She staggered back, as if she had been slapped and stared at the man she once called friend. “What?” She asked, her eyes wide with amazement. “Tell me you are not serious.”

“I'm very serious, Sakura.” Sasuke murmured, moving closer to her. “I've finally figured out what game you are playing, and I must say, it worked.”

Sakura frowned. “What game are you talking about?” She asked. “I'm not playing any kind of games.”

Chuckling, Sasuke placed his hand on the wall just above her head and he leaned towards her. “I know that you are just using the dobe to make me jealous. Well, you don't have to keep pretending. I want you, and think that it is past time that we are together.” He said, giving her a small smile.

“Oh, really.” Sakura said, her mind whirling with his words. Now she had absolute proof. Sasuke was an even bigger nut job than his older brother was.

He watched as she thought about his words and smirked. He finally said the words and now, he could see that she was trying to keep her composure.

She was debating on laughing or slugging him. Both sounded good, though the satisfaction of seeing him with a large, black eye was very tempting. However, she was still trying to stay away from unnecessary violence, and she decided that she would try and talk some sense into the young man.

And, if that didn't work, then let the violence begin.

“I don't know what is going on in that mind of yours, Sasuke, but please understand that I am not interested in you, now or ever. I'm in love with Naruto and don't plan on leaving him.” She said, her tone firm. She watched as the smile melted off of his handsome face, and he sighed.

Well, he'd tried it the nice way, but perhaps she just needed a taste of what she was missing. When his eyes met hers, he watched as her eyes widened, and he knew that she had been trapped by the sharingan. Now, all he needed to do was show her who the better man was, and he would use the sharingan to further his point.

Besides, he'd be the only one who knew that he'd used his family's weapon to gain the woman he desired.

He leaned forward, his eyes now focused on her lips and just as he was about to kiss her, his eyes widened as her fist connected with his stomach, sending him flying from the alley and into the street.

When he finally stopped moving, he looked up to find a seriously pissed off Sakura stalking towards him, her face a mask of rage. His eyes widened when he saw her reach into her purse and pull out her gloves. Now he knew that he was in trouble.

The commotion caused the people around them to stop and watch their ambassador approach the young Uchiha, her eyes flaming with murderous intent. She was about to reach out and grab him, but was stopped by a blur.

Sasuke blinked, and watched as Kakashi held Sakura back, while she screamed obscenities at him. He could see that even their former sensei was having trouble subduing the angered female, and he snorted when the man glared over at him.

“What did you do to her, Sasuke?” Kakashi demanded. In all of his years of knowing her, he had never seen Sakura so angry. He could practically feel the hatred rolling off of her and was thankful that none of it was being directed at him. However, he was curious as to why it was being directed towards Sasuke.

Neji, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Choji had decided to get together for breakfast, and had heard about the fight from a couple of the villagers. Because they were sure that the fight was between Naruto and Sasuke, they casually made their way over to where Sasuke was, and were shocked to find Sakura, instead of Naruto.

“LET ME GO!” Sakura screamed, her face red with anger. “LET ME GO AND I'LL PUT HIM OUT OF MINE AND NARUTO'S MISERY!”

Kakashi began to calmly talk to her, but the young woman would not listen to him. She tried to go around him, but he refused to allow her to pass.

Neji narrowed his eyes at Sasuke and saw that the young man had activated his sharingan. Glancing over at Choji, he whispered, “Go and get Naruto. He and Sakura are living together in her apartment. Get him and bring him here, quickly.”

Choji quickly took off, and the three remaining young men cautiously moved towards Sakura and Kakashi. Neji could see angry tears streaming down her face as the older ninja did his best to calm her with his words.

Turning, Neji glared over at Sasuke and when he noticed the man's red eyes, he snapped, “Let me guess, you tried to use your sharingan to get her to turn from Naruto to you.”

Kakashi's head snapped around when he heard Neji's question, and sighed. Well, that would explain why Sakura was so upset.

Sasuke stood up and glared at Neji. “That's none of your business, fool.” He sneered. He looked over at Sakura, who was clearly far from done with him. Taking a deep breath, he sneered, “It's your loss, bitch. You could have had it all, but you are going to throw it all away for that piece of trash.”

Sakura hissed at the dark haired man, and watched as her beloved Tsunade-sensei appeared with Lord Masahara, his companions, and several of the jounin, along with Iruka. Kakashi watched and nodded when Tsunade motioned for him to Sakura go, and slowly, he backed away from her, and watched as she approached Sasuke. This confrontation had been a long time coming.

Furious green eyes glared into angry red eyes, and for several moments, neither of them spoke. Neither noticed that Choji had returned with Naruto, who was currently looking mad enough to kill.

“I can offer you luxury, a large home, and the knowledge that you will never have to worry about anything. Yet, you'd rather live in squalor with that freak. Why, Sakura? Is it your guilty conscience? What in the hell are you thinking?” Sasuke demanded, his tone harsh.

Sakura's posture relaxed as she finally saw Sasuke for who he really was. Oh, she'd known all along that he was a selfish bastard. He'd proved that when he left for Orochimaru's. However, at listening to him, she finally got a glimpse into who the real Sasuke was, and there was nothing attractive about him. In fact, the anger melted away as she finally saw what had been right in front of her all along. She had just been too blind to see it.

“You want to know why I want Naruto” She asked, softly. When the sharp nod came, a soft smile crossed Sakura's lips and she said, “He loves me.”

“I can love you.” Sasuke gritted out.

Sakura shook her head, and felt a bit sorry for the man before her. “No, you couldn't, Sasuke.” She replied. “The only person you love, is you. For a very long time, your focus was on Itachi, and now that he is gone, you find that you no longer have any purpose. You've avenged your clan, but the price you've paid is higher than any cost. Now that your brother is gone, you no longer have a reason to be, and so, you've made me your new focus, thinking that you are 'saving' me from Naruto, when in reality, all you are doing is hurting me and making him angry.”

Sasuke snorted. “You don't have any idea of what you're talking about, Sakura.” He said, sharply. “Itachi was not my reason for living. Killing Itachi was my goal, and now that I've reached it, I can move on. Now, are you going to move on with me, or not?”

“I have moved on.” Sakura said. “I've moved on with Naruto, and it will be a cold day in hell before I ever did anything with you.”

Sasuke clenched his fists and took a step towards Sakura, but was quickly blocked by Naruto, whose eyes had turned bright red.

Sakura could hear the growling, and knew that the kyuubi was near the surface. She stepped forward, and placed her hand on his arm, drawing the red eyes to her.

“It's over.” She said, stroking his arm in an attempt to sooth him. “Let's go home, Naruto.”

The eyes stared at her, and then he slowly brought his face to hers, and took in a deep breath. Closing his eyes, he felt some of the tension in his body melt, but when he sensed Sasuke move, his eyes snapped open and he glared at the man.

“I called you friend.” Naruto spat, his tone rough. “I let you close to me, and you betrayed me.”

“I don't care.” Sasuke replied, as he shrugged.

“We know that you don't care.” Sakura interjected, as she moved to Naruto's side. She interlocked her fingers with his and gave Sasuke a saddened smile. “The fact of the matter is, you have never cared. In fact, I seriously doubt that you think that anything you have done has been wrong. As long as you get what you want, you see no reason to hit below the belt just to get your way.”

“That may be true, but at least I have things to show for it. What does that loser have?” Sasuke demanded, motioning to Naruto.

Sakura smiled up at the man beside her, their eyes connecting. She watched as the red flashed bright blue for a moment, but then disappeared. She reached up to touch his cheek, and said, “He has me.”

Sasuke made a sound in the back of this throat, and was pinned by a vicious glare from Naruto. Red eyes watched as the blonde pulled Sakura close to him and he sighed. “I'm sorry that I've wasted my time.”

“Me, too.” Sakura said, looking over at him. “I've wasted so much time on you that could have been spent with Naruto. I've learned my lesson, but unfortunately, I don't think that you will ever learn yours.”

“What in the hell is that supposed to mean?” Sasuke asked, impatiently. Damn it, he'd been made a fool of, and now, the bitch had the nerve to humiliate him in public.

Sakura moved to stand in front of Naruto, and immediately felt his arms wrap around her waist. Shaking her head at his possessiveness, she looked at Sasuke and replied, “What I mean is that I seriously doubt that you believe that you have done anything wrong. No amount of punishment will get it through your head that your actions were wrong, and you will probably see yourself as the victim in this situation. You are not, Sasuke. As I see it, it's a waste of time to continue this line of conversation, but you will never get it, Sasuke.”

The man before did not answer, nor was he given the time. Tsunade moved forward, and looked at her student.

“Get him home.” She ordered, her tone stern. “We can't have him running around with the kyuubi just below the surface, especially with Sasuke around. Get him home and calm him down.”

Sakura nodded, and felt Naruto take her hand. As they turned to walk from the large group, Naruto's head turned and those deadly, red eyes stared at Sasuke, before a large grin passed over his lips as he lifted his free hand and flipped the last Uchiha off.

Sasuke took a step forward, intent on going after the couple, but was stopped by Tsunade. The blond glared down at the young man and then said, “I've had it with you. Effectively immediately, you are transferred to Suna, and will be taking Tenten's place.”

Tenten gasped in outrage, and was silenced when Tsunade's eyes locked with her own. “Tenten, I am ordering you and Neji into a locked room until the two of you can work this mess out. I will not lose Konoha's weapon's mistress just because her boyfriend is a major ass.”

Neji smirked and shot Tenten a smug look, while she glared at him for all she was worth. The Hyuuga prodigy turned his eyes back to the hokage, and gave a bow, indicating that he understood. If he were lucky, he could get Tenten to hold still long enough to let him grovel. He missed her, and needed her by his side.

This time, he would make sure that she knew that she was his new purpose.

Kiba smirked and watched as his girl came towards him, a large smile upon her lips. She, too, had heard the order, and was anxious for her cousin and friend to work things out. She was also glad that Sakura had finally put the Uchiha in his place, though it was a little startling to see Naruto so angry. But, at least the couple was still together, and Sasuke had been made a fool of.

Tsunade turned, and glared at Sasuke, who was glaring at her. “I am the last of the Uchiha.” Sasuke spat, angry. “Why should I have to leave Konoha? Why not send the two of them?”

“Because, Sakura is Konoha's ambassador, and Naruto is my successor as hokage.” Tsunade snapped, thrilled that the mouthy Uchiha was finally stunned into silence. “One day, Naruto will be the leader of this village, and it won't be because of his blood. It will be because he loves Konoha so much, probably just as much as he loves Sakura, and I can trust that he will protect Konoha just as viciously as he protects the love of his life.”

“Naruto's blood?” Sasuke snapped. “He's a street rat, with no breeding, or manners. Have you ever watched him eat ramen? It's disgusting.”

Tsunade looked up to the sky, and quietly said a silent apology to her former sensei, the third hokage. He had asked her not to tell, but it was time that all of the secrets were laid open.

“Naruto's father was far more important to this village than all of your ancestors, Obito excluded, were.” Tsunade murmured. “His father was the hero that saved Konoha years ago from the nine-tailed fox, who thought to destroy this village. But, because Naruto's father knew that he would not be around to keep it sealed, he decided to use his blood to keep the beast at bay, thus trapping the fox in the body of his newborn son, Naruto.”

Sasuke, stunned, stared at the hokage. “You're lying.” He whispered, his face pale. He watched as Jiraiya stepped forward, and stand behind Tsunade. “Naruto is the only thing keeping the fox at bay. It's his father's love that had kept the creature in check long enough until Naruto was old, and strong enough to deal with the fox, himself. Naruto is the fourth hokage's greatest legacy. Tsunade is not lying, and now, you have publicly disgraced yourself by attacking the fourth hokage's son, the future hokage, and calling the current hokage a liar. I'd keep my mouth shut, if I were you.” He advised.

The villagers whispered among themselves, startled from the information that they had just heard. The young man, who as a boy they had tormented, was their hero's son, and they had basically spit on him. As shame ran through the crowd, Iruka looked around and felt his heart leap.

Finally, Naruto was going to get the respect he deserved. It was about damn time.