Who are you?

Sasuke took his usual seat. It was Monday morning and the start of another week of school. Everything was the same as always. Everything was completely different.

"Oh Sasuke-kun can I sit next to you?" An excited Sakura asked.

"Hn." He folded his hands in front of his face.

She took this as an affirmative and sat down beside her crush. "Isn't it terrible what happened Saturday? I mean I can hardly believe it! And I hear that one of the ninjas who attacked Naruto was torn apart! Can you believe that?"

Despite himself he shut his eyes and shivered a bit. Can I believe Naruto could tear someone apart? Oh yes, without a doubt. "Hn." He was trying to ignore her and hoped she would get the hint he was not feeing talkative.

Sakura noticed Sasuke's depressed mood and tried to cheer him. "You know Sasuke-kun it really speaks well of your generous soul that you're so upset about Naruto!" He turned his head a bit to look at her. "I mean I had no idea you cared so much about him that his being in the hospital would depress you! You really are very thoughtful and kind."

He turned away from her without a word. Typical airhead, I'm depressed because my father was killed by my psychotic brother and because I know one of my classmates is a monster. In all fairness there was a reason Sakura didn't know about Sasuke's personal tragedy. The Uchiha clan had moved swiftly to cover up what had happened. The Uchihas were a rather secretive lot to begin with. After Itachi's murder and betrayal it had been decided not to make any of what had happened public, less the clan's reputation suffer. And since the Uchiha's had a huge influence with the police force it was not hard to do. Sasuke had found it difficult but had agreed to not speak of it to anyone outside the clan.

"Did you send him any flowers?" Sakura asked with an annoyingly cheerful grin. "I sent him a few, just to be nice since he is in the hospital."

He looked at her again. "No Sakura," he said icily. "I didn't send him any flowers."

Sakura could feel the chill and numbly nodded and cast her eyes down. She didn't understand what she had said to get that sort of reaction.

Seeing that Sakura was going to leave him alone Sasuke looked around the classroom. There were Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba all sitting in the back row talking. Shikamaru was complaining that even though it would be troublesome he would go with the other two to visit Naruto after class. Across on the other side Ino was holding court and bragging to the other dimwit girls about how many flowers she had sent Naruto. Looking all about the room he was not surprised to see Hinata was missing. He was sure she was at the hospital, probably curled up at Naruto's feet.

He turned his face back to the front. He felt contempt for all of them. They were all gullible fools who had fallen for an act. None of them had the slightest idea that the boy they were so worried about would probably end up eating them one day. When his mother had recovered from her shock at what had happened he'd spoken to her about what Itachi had told him. To his horror she had confirmed that what big brother had said was the truth. Naruto was the Kyuubi. Then his mother had told him about the Sandaime's law. He couldn't even tell his classmates the sort of danger they were in without putting his neck, literally, on the chopping block. He sighed, in just one day his life had changed completely. On Saturday morning life had been good, if not perfect. By Saturday night his father had been murdered, his mother shattered, his idolized big brother had become a heartless killer, and Naruto was a monster that would destroy them all one day. And one more thing had happened, his child hood had ended. Now he was an adult, and an adult with a terrible responsibility. He would have to be the savior of his clan and his village, as well as his father's avenger. He would have to be the one to save Konoha from the Kyuubi and then kill his older brother to avenge his father. That was an awful lot to put on an eight year old's shoulders. But he was his father's son and an Uchiha; he would bear up to it and fulfill his responsibilities.

His very first thought of course had been to alert the clan of the danger and of all of them acting together to deal with it. His mother had been horrified at the suggestion. She had quickly explained to him that all the adults in the village knew about the Kyuubi, it was a secret only to the younger generation. If the clan did as he suggested it would be an open declaration of war not just against Namikaze but against Hyuga as well. Many of the adults might hate Naruto, but few were ready to go as far as civil war to try and kill him. Hearing that the very next thought that had occurred to him was simply to do it himself the next time he saw him. He pictured himself as heroically slaying the monster and being hailed as a savior. It was a nice image, but the more he thought about it the more he realized it was impossible. After the beating in the courtyard he was honest enough with himself to admit he was no match for Naruto. (Though he'd be damned if he'd admit it to anyone else!)

He tried to look at the problem like an adult rather than as a frustrated kid. Iruka, Mizuki, Kushina, the Hyuga, the Sandaime, and the ANBU. The list of people Naruto had to defend him was depressingly long. Even more depressing was Kushina's near mythical reputation for dealing with people who threatened her boy. For the life of him he didn't understand why all these people would protect the Kyuubi, but they did. Thinking about the problem and the obstacles in his path led him to a very adult decision. I can't do anything while he's in Konoha. He is just too well protected here. It'll have to be somewhere outside of Konoha and that means it'll have to be after I become a shinobi. He sighed again. The thought of having to wait so long and having to live and work beside the Kyuubi frightened him. But he saw no other way. Everything I do for the next few years has to be aimed towards that day. I have to gain power and activate my sharingan. I should probably try and get some allies on my side too, that would make it easier. When he thought about allies he had a disturbing realization. Nearly everyone he knew was on Naruto's side. That had never worried him before; he had his clan after all. But he would also need people who would watch his back and do as he told them. Defeating Naruto and saving the village would be incredibly hard; he was going to need help. He carefully looked at the girl sitting next to him. She was still looking down at the desk

He let out yet another small sigh. He was not eager to do what he had in mind. But if it would help him save the village one day he was ready to make any sacrifice. He forced a small grin onto his face. "Sakura-chan?" he said gently.

Her head snapped up immediately. Did he just call me chan? "Uhm, yes Sasuke-kun?"

He looked directly into her eyes and tried to convey a warmth he didn't feel. "I'm very sorry if I was rude to you. I guess what happened Saturday has me feeling kind of bad."

Seeing the look in his eyes and hearing the concern in his voice she immediately began to blush. Oh Kami! He's finally being nice to me! I knew I'd win him over eventually! "It's all right Sasuke-kun, I understand."

"Say Sakura-chan would you like to have lunch with me today?"

She began to giggle and Sasuke was immediately reminded of nails on a chalkboard. But the smile stayed in place. "Sasuke-kun I would love to have lunch with you!"

It's for the village and the greater good. "Great."

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto heard familiar voices as he slowly felt himself coming awake.

"Shhhh, I think his eyes are opening. Naruto-kun honey are you awake?" A relieved and very comforting voice spoke to him.

"Yeah mom." He slowly opened his eyes. The lights were much too bright. He felt really sore, but at least he wasn't in pain any more.

"Oh honey I'm so glad!" She leaned down and kissed both his cheeks. "You've been asleep for two days. I've been so worried about you!"

"Well I haven't. I knew you were much too stubborn to be anything but all right." A chipper voice said.

Naruto had to focus his eyes a bit. "Is that you Kakashi-niisan?"

"Yo," he answered. "I've just been keeping your mom company."

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata leaned all the way over the edge of his hospital bed and fell onto the mattress beside him. She was desperate to put her arms around him and didn't care. She put her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his cheek. "Oh Naruto-kun I am so glad you're all right! I was so worried about you!"

She was hugging him with all her might and his body was sore. "Ow!"

She immediately let go and bolted up right. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun! Oh I didn't mean to hurt you!" She was trying to scramble away when he got a hold of her hand with his right.

"It's o.k. Hinata-chan! It's o.k., just be a little gentle that's all." With his hand he began tugging her back towards him.

She let him pull her back towards him. "Are you sure Naruto-kun?" She asked nervously.

"I'm sure Hinata-chan. I like it when you hug me, just be gentle." With his encouragement she carefully put her arms around his neck again and her face rested next to his. His right arm he put around her waist. He tried to put his other arm around her but it refused to lift, it felt like it was weighted down.

"Is this all right Naruto-kun?" She asked shyly. It felt just a little weird to be lying on top of him like this. But after the last two days she wanted contract with him. She wanted him to be in her arms.

He smiled at her fondly. "Yeah Hinata-chan that feels fine." She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly.

Kushina and Kakashi were both looking at the two eight year olds and smiling. They really were just too cute. "How are you feeling son?"

"I feel sore mom, but I'm not in pain. My left arm though, it feels heavy." He finally managed to lift his arm. His forearm was in a cast. His hand was a huge mass of bandages, the fingers were hidden. "Mom, if I've been here two days why am I still a mess? I normally heal really fast."

Kushina frowned. "I know son, but those wounds were always cuts or tears. You had a lot of broken bones and whatever it is in your chemistry that gives you fast healing doesn't seem to work as well on that. It may also be that your body just took so much damage at one time. You were in surgery for over six hours being treated. Most of your bones have been healed and will just need a little while to finish setting." She looked very unhappy. "I'm afraid your left hand though suffered a lot of damage."

"How bad is it?" Naruto looked at the wrappings at the end of his forearm.

"The medic nins say you might not regain full use of it again." She saw the panic in his eyes and motioned for him to be calm. "But I've sent for your godmother. I don't know when she'll get here but when she does we'll see what she says."

Naruto slowly nodded. He knew his godmother was the world's greatest medic nin. He shut his eyes and put his arm back down. "I don't suppose it really matters anymore." He sounded defeated. Everyone looked at him in surprise.

"Honey, don't be depressed. I'm sure once Tsunade is here she'll be able to heal you."

"Yes Naruto-kun," Hinata said. "I'm sure everything will be fine now."

He looked at her and smiled a bit sadly. "Hinata-chan, would you mind waiting in the hall for a little bit while I talk to my mom alone?" He looked at Kakashi. "Would you mind too niisan?"

"Oh, well of course Naruto-kun." Hinata was a little disappointed she had just started getting comfortable. She quickly slid back off the hospital bed.

"All right Naruto, come on Hinata let's get something to eat." The two of them left the room.

Kushina looked at her son a bit curious. She had never seen him look so cheerless. "Honey, I know how depressing it can be stuck in a hospital but it's o.k. We'll have you home soon and once Tsunade gets here I'm sure you'll be just fine."

"No mom, I don't think I'm ever going to be fine again." He said with a depressing certainty. "I'm not really worried about my hand. I'm sure godmother will fix it. Even if she doesn't I'll manage one way or another."

"Well son if you feel that way why are you so depressed?"

"Because I know." He said sadly.

"Know what?"

He looked at her with eyes filled with pain. "I know why everyone hates me mom. I know what's inside me."

"Oh dear Kami," she whispered. "Itachi told you."

"No mom, the Kyuubi told me."

"What?! Son what do you mean the Kyuubi told you?!" Terrifying thoughts of what that might mean flashed through her mind.

"I had a nightmare mom. In it the Kyuubi spoke to me. He told me what really happened the night I was born. He told me it was his power that let me heal fast, that gave me so much chakra capacity, and that gave me the red chakra. Mom when I fought that ninja it was the red chakra that saved me. It was the Kyuubi's power that saved me."

"I see." She said quietly. "Well, I never thought I'd say this but I'm glad for the Kyuubi's power."

Mother and son looked at each other for a moment. Naruto sighed. "When were you going to tell me mom?"

"I don't know." She answered truthfully. "I was planning to tell you sometime before you became a Genin. To be honest son it wasn't a conversation I was eager to have."

"Mom, why did dad do this to me?"

She took a deep shuddering breath. All at once she was remembering that night again. The Kyuubi's sudden appearance, it's approach towards Konoha, her husband's desperate decision and her tearful agreement, her labor, her very first time holding him in her arms, her begging Minato not to take him, and finally darkness. "It was the only way son. A Biju cannot be killed by a mortal and the Kyuubi's power was too great to be stopped. The only choice, the only possible way to save the village was to trap the Kyuubi in a vessel that could adopt and hold all its chakra. And the only vessel that could do that was a new born child with an undeveloped chakra system. Stopping the Kyuubi required two things; a new born to act as the vessel and a human sacrifice to work the jutsu. He felt as the Hokage it was his duty to sacrifice himself to save the village. And as his son and heir he felt it was your duty to be the vessel. He did not feel he could justify asking another parent to make a sacrifice he was unwilling to. He felt it fell upon his clan to make the sacrifices necessary to save Konoha." She looked to her son and waited for his reaction. If he was bitter and angry he certainly had cause to be.

Naruto looked down. He took a deep breath. "I understand." He answered quietly.

"You do?"

Her son looked back up at her. He seemed weary but accepting. "Mom, I've said before that I would give anything even my life to protect Konoha." He gave her a sad smile. "I guess in a way I already have. I understand it. The Hokage's duty is to protect Konoha whatever the cost. I can't blame my father for fulfilling his duty. And being his son I can even understand why he chose me to bear this burden." He chuckled sourly. "Even if everyone does hate me for it."

"Son everyone does not hate you! Kakashi, the Sandaime, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Hiashi, and all those people on the street who bow or cheer for you know the truth and see you as a hero, as your father wished."

"I suppose so, but there are plenty of people who hate me an awful lot." Kushina could hardly disagree with that. "I guess it's time for me to find another goal."

"What do you mean?"

He looked at his mother in surprise. "I mean about me becoming Hokage. Now that I know that I can never be Hokage I'll need to find another goal for myself."

She looked at him in astonishment. "Son what makes you think you can't be Hokage?"

He frowned at her. "Mom how can I be Hokage when I'm a monster?" She sent a look of outrage and was at his side in an instant. "Ow!" He rubbed the top of his head with his right hand and looked at his mother in shock. "Mom you hit me!" Except when they were sparring she had never hit him.

"Don't ever say that again son! That's the sort of thing those fools who hate you say! Have you forgotten your promise so soon?! Do you remember your very first day at the academy son? What did I ask you to promise me?"

"To never forget who I am."

"And who are you?"

He looked at her confused. "Mom I'm Namikaze Naruto, your son and the son of Namikaze Minato."

"Yes you are." She sat down on the bed and took him into her arms and hugged him close. "You are my son and you are Minato's son and you are a good brave boy. Never ever think that you are anything else. Tell me son how did you feel when you killed those men at the academy?"

He swallowed at the memory. "I felt bad, I felt guilty."

"And do you really think you would feel that if you were really the Kyuubi?"

"But it was different the last time! When I used the red chakra I was happy that I killed."

"Were you also angry?"

"Yes very, very angry."

"And were you scared?" He simply nodded. "Naruto-kun it is perfectly normal and perfectly human to be happy at killing someone who was trying to kill you. That doesn't make you a demon."

"But mom the seal on my belly, my healing, the red chakra…"

"Are all a part of you son. Just as your nose, or your liver, or your little toe are all a part but not all of you. The Kyuubi is inside of you, that is true. But you are not the Kyuubi and you never will be no matter how many fools refuse to believe that. You have its power and perhaps even its knowledge but you Naruto will choose how to use it. You said the red chakra saved your life. I would definitely call that a good use of the demon's power. Naruto-kun we all posses the capacity for good or evil. We all choose the life's path we take. You are human and you have that same choice. What is special about you my son is the capacity you possess. You have great power within you, but that power can be used for either good or evil. The choice is yours." She looked into his eyes and spoke carefully. "Use the Kyuubi's power son." He looked at her in shock. "That power belongs to you as much as the strength of your muscles does. Take the power within you and use it to guard and protect this village. As its Hokage."

He put his one good arm around her and tried to hug her tight. "Thanks mom." He said in a voice that ached with relief.