See Me

A/N: Special thanks to Cutsycat and Drivven. This is the last Chapter. I am already working on the Epilogue and after that it really will over. I think I am sad and happy to see this coming to a close. Thank you all for supporting me and leaving me wonderful reviews. *hugs*

OK Enough with the emotional crap. On with the story!

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Before anyone could ask any further questions about the contract several Elders walked into the room grinning viciously at the blond captive. Smirking, the head speaker looked around the room and then finally stated the reason for their presence, "I see that you either went against orders or failed in your mission, demon. You know what this means for you. Hokage-san, please call Ibiki-san in here, he has some cleaning up to do."

"I will NOT send for him, we can settle this without the use of my interrogator." she said sternly.

"You are too emotionally involved with the demon, therefore we have no choice but to bring in someone who is not involved to mete out his punishment." The head speaker said while motioning for one of the others to fetch the person in question.

"And just what is his punishment to be?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Death by public hanging, of course. This way everyone in the village will feel safe knowing that the demon is forever gone from our presence." he replied as if it was the most obvious answer to the question that had been asked.

"You old fools seem to be the only ones who are frightened by him! If you continue with this farce I will not be held accountable for any actions the villagers might take out on you." Tsunade said viciously.

"Are you threatening us Hokage-sama? We are the most respected people in Konohgakure, do you really think anyone other than yourself and the demon would dare to go against our wishes? Yoshimaru please go and make the public ready for the upcoming celebration. Let them know that the streets will once again be safe to wander at night." The elder said grandly.

"On your heads be it. I hope that the Yondaime comes back to haunt every last one of you."

"You are never to speak his name in such a manner! Yondaime was an honorable and respected shinobi, to speak his name in front of the very demon who killed him is sacrilege."

"Why is it dishonorable to speak my father's name? He was the one who did this to me and I'm sure he is so very pleased at your actions Oh Great Elders" Naruto said sarcastically while snuggling further into Kakashi's chest.

"Which of you told him this lie? Well? Speak up! Which of you have besmirched the Yondaime's name by telling the demon this lie? If I discover who did this you shall pay dearly." The elder threatened.

"No one had to tell me a thing. Unlike you I do not need glasses to see the truth. Just look at his picture you old fool, I look like his twin!" Naruto said hotly.

The elder was spared having to respond as the interrogation-nin walked through the door. He turned to the door before continuing. "Morino-san, please remove this garbage to the holding cell while plans are made for it."

Ibiki walked over to where Kakashi was holding on to his blond and winked at the furious man before deviating from his path and walked to the garbage can filled with paper. He picked it up with a sour face and started to walk out muttering about how he had been demoted to a garbage man.

"Morino-san the garbage in which I was speaking is still in this room. Let me clarify, remove this demon from our presence."

"Might I inquire as to the charges that he is to be held under?" Ibiki said stiffly.

"The charge is failure to complete a contracted mission." the elder said grandly.

"I have never heard of someone being jailed for failure to complete a contract."

"Yes, well this is a special contract and he won't be jailed for long I assure you. Just long enough for us to set up his hanging." the elder said in what he thought was a reassuring tone. The old man understood Ibiki's reluctance to keep a demon in his cell.

Ibiki was getting seriously upset. He had a bit of a soft spot for the young blond. Naruto had been the only one to ever get through one of Ibiki's tests without ever answering a single question much to the man's surprise. Plus he couldn't help but remember all those lonely nights when he had watched the boy cry himself to sleep after the villagers had been particularly cruel. Ibiki was relieved that the villagers themselves grew out of their hatred and now saw him as he was instead of what he housed. Still it looked like he should have been looking more toward the inner circle of power than the villagers. There was no way in hell he would let all his, and many other shinobi's, hard work through out the years be crushed by bigoted old farts.

"I see." Ibiki said said through tight lips "Might I see this contract?"

"Of course Ibiki-san." The head elder said while fishing out the contract in question and handing it to him.

He quickly scanned through the contract and winced at the wording and possible legality of the contract. They had to have tricked the blond into taking such an idiotic suicide mission, of that he was sure. He handed the contract to Naruto and asked, "Naruto-kun did you sign this contract?"

Naruto looked over then contract and got a sick look on his face before confirming that he had indeed signed the contract in question by silently nodding his head.

"What were you told when you were given this contract?" the interrogation-nin asked while reaching for the document back.

"That it was the will of Konohagakure, that they had many letters of concern from the villagers about me being allowed to roam the streets and that the shinobi were complaining about how terrible it was to have to work beside the demon who had tried to destroy the very village they were trying to protect." Naruto dutifully told the scarred man word for word of what he remembered of that meeting.

"Gentlemen is what he said true and do you really have such letters of complaint?" Ibiki asked seriously while his stomach was starting to feel heavy. Things were definitely not looking well for the young blond.

"Hai, it is as he said, and yes we do have the letters of complaint. True that they are several years old, but the complaints still stand we are sure."

"Why have you waited so long to do something about those complaints if they are true?" he asked calmly. He needed to find some loop hole in that damnable contract if he was going to keep his word, of helping to protect the blond, that he had given to Sarutobi.

"We have tried on many occasions to rid this village of the demon. Hokage-sama always found a way to put a stop to it though."

"I see, how did she stop you then?" Ibiki said while trying to stall for time so that he could come up with a way to save the blond idiot.

"I refused them access to MY ANBU teams." Tsunade growled.

"Selfish as always. Why do you continuously protect that thing?"

"Maybe because HE is Konohagakure's HOPE and you fools are the only ones too blind to see it! Do you have any idea how many times he saved this village?" she yelled.

"Demons do not save anything, they destroy it!" the elder yelled.

Gaara was, to put it bluntly, sick and tired of the 'adults' acting like three year olds bickering over a toy. Naruto was his best friend and by no means anyone's toy to use or discard as they pleased. He stepped up and nosily cleared his throat to hopefully get the attention of the older... adults, though he was unsure if that term fit them.

"Kazakage-sama, forgive our rudeness, but we are in the middle of something that does not concern Sunagakure. If you would please give us a few minutes to handle this... problem, I am sure Hokage-sama will see to your needs." the elder said dismissively.

"Naruto was apprehended in Suna and I have something of far more importance than your current bickering." the red haired Kage said in disdain while handing Tsunade a scroll.

The elder sputtered upon hearing Gaara's words, how dare he dismiss him, HE was an elder to be listened to! His attention however was quickly diverted with the return of the elder he had sent to rally the town for what he saw as a joyous event. His face went red with obvious anger as the speaker told him of the villagers booing him and then turned white when he heard that they were calling for their heads instead of that of the demon. This was not the way things were supposed to go. They were supposed to love them and hate the smirking blond. His head jerked toward Tsunade as she let out a loud sigh and rubbed her temples.

"Are you sure of this Kazekage-sama? This is the only way for us to keep peace?" she asked seriously while trying to hold back the laughter that was threatening to erupt from her. She should have known that the serious young man would have something planned. He was always thinking ahead.

"Very sure Hokage-sama. It is the will of not only myself but of the people of Sunagakure. Do we understand each other?" he asked seriously.

"If this is the only way to keep our peace, so be it. Please give us a few years to at least do some training so the transition will go smoothly."

"Agreed."

"Very well then, let it be known, today in front of these witnesses, that in order to maintain peace I am naming one Uzumaki, Naruto as my successor. Congratulations gaki, it looks like your dream of becoming Hokage is finally becoming reality. As your first duty as Hokage-in-training I will let you decide what to do with the elders." she said with a smirk.

The elders sat there sputtering incoherently. This was not the way they had planned for things to go. Not only was the demon still alive, but he was now in succession to the seat of Hokage, thus giving him more power than they had. Why was Kami punishing them? They had always thought of the village first!

Naruto sat there and stared wide eyed as everyone in the room, minus the elders of course, was congratulating him on achieving his dream. He looked at his mate, then to his best friend trying to get a grasp on everything. He finally came to the conclusion that he had to be dreaming so pinched his own arm to see if it was real. He yelped at the pain he felt, yes it really was real. He let tears of happiness run down his face un-ashamed of who could see them. He grasped the hands of those congratulating him though when his friend offered his hand he wrapped him up in a hug thanking him over and over. Finally he turned to his mate and hugged him, relieved that the whole ordeal was finally over.

"What are you going to do about the elders?" Kakashi whispered in his ear.

"Let me out to bite off their damned heads. Would only serve them right after all they did to you." Kyuubi said with a growl.

"No you're not going to bite off any heads." Naruto said while trying not to roll his eyes at the demons child-like behavior.

Naruto took a deep breath and turned to face his tormentors. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't bring himself to cast the same punishment on them that they had cast on him. He would not stoop to their level. Still they couldn't be allowed to do this to anyone else.

"I am unsure as to their mental stability and their ability to help guide me and this village for the best. By them trying to hand me over to the Akatsuki they have shown their lack of concern for the village. For they would have surely used Kyuubi to terrify this peaceful village and bring war here. Therefore I order them all to be placed in the new home for the elderly. They are to be cared for, though they may not leave the facility without a shinobi escort. I will still need a council however, so I shall go back to the system that the first and second Hokage set up. Please inform the heads of the clans of their new responsibility. Tell them that if they have a problem following me then they are dismissed as well. I only want this village to go forward and flourish. Agreeable?"

"Well done Kit, still, you should have let me bite them. Ah well, now maybe I can relax for a bit." Kyuubi said with a small sigh.

"Nicely done Naruto, you handled that like a true leader. Ibiki, please gather the needed shinobi to help you follow out his orders. Now then, shall we go out to the crowd and let them have a real reason to celebrate?" Tsunade said with a smile.

"Hai." was his only reply as he grasped Kakashi's hand and headed out to his villagers and his new future.

~Fin~

*Remember that I am working on an Epilogue!*