Alright this story is just an idea I had, it's a darker one than what I hope will happen but this takes place right at the current manga chapter, chapter 450. I'm going to try and update this once a week to compare slightly with the manga chapters. But I do have an idea with this story and I hope that this will be different than the manga. I personally will be sad if the manga turns out the way this will end. I do not own Naruto.

"I'm dead. I after all that's happened I just feel completely exhausted. If I collapse right here, it's not like anyone will notice, right?" I think to myself as I continue through the forest back to the remains of the village. I've defeated the threat that was Pein. He's gone and he has given me the duty of saving the ninja world and finding the peace that Jiraiya talked of. But for now, can't I just be regular old Uzumaki Naruto and get home and rest. I'll need to help everyone rebuild the village of course but for now, I just need to rest.

"That's it, I can't take it anymore. I-" I start falling and don't even try to resist. I brace myself for the crash but it never comes. I open my eyes and smile slightly.

"Good job." He says as I say his name and try to get up again, but he pushes me down and orders me to just hang on as he carries me throughout the forest. I'm glad to see him. It's proof Pein jutsu worked. Kakashi is alive. Finally we get to the clearing that used to show the village. Instead, it's filled with people. Everyone in the village. It takes me a minute, but I realize that they're cheering, for me…

"Welcome back!" "We believed in you!" "You're a hero, Naruto!" "Thank you" "Welcome home!" They shout. Is this really all for me? I wonder…

"They've all… been waiting for you to return…" Kakashi says as he lets me down. I don't know what to do. I walk forward a little as they all come running at me. My first instinct after all these years is to flee, but my legs are too tired and I just stand there as they all continue cheering and running to me. Katsuyu comes out and on my shoulder again and whispered, "I told them everything that happened" to me. The all gathered around me like an avalanche of people all pushing wanting to thank me. Suddenly I notice Sakura walking towards me. I mummer her name as she walks over and hits me.

"You're always so rash! Dummy!" She yells. I start to fall but she quickly catches me and whispers, "thank you" in my ear. I smile as I look out and see all the smiles on everyone else's faces. Suddenly everyone grabs me. I feel like I should run but before I can they throw me into the air, cheering for me the whole time. For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong here.

"She used Katsuyu to protect the village… and has been unconscious ever since. I don't know when she'll wake up." Sakura tells us. I look down at the poor old women, finally seeing her for who she is and not her hiding behind a younger version of herself. I sigh and whisper her name. I look over to Sakura and Shizune, both of them hovering over their master. They're lucky though, if she does… d-die… then at least they'll be here with her. I still don't and I guess will never know where the final resting place of my master is. I put a hand on Sakura's shoulder and smile a little.

"She'll wake up. I know it. Don't worry about it Sakura…" I tell her and try to stay positive. She nods and smiles a little too.

"Thanks Naruto. Y-You're right… she'll wake up. When she does she'll lecture us about how we shouldn't be looking at her in this condition and probably make us swear never to tell anyone what she really look like." Sakura says. I nod and we both quietly leave and let Shizune look after her. We walk away from the tent and look around as more and more people are setting up tents to stay in until homes can be built. We have a long way to go until then.

"You must be tired now." Sakura says while we continue walking.

"I'm fine. Just give me a soldier pill and I'll see what needs doing and go to help." I tell her. She still doesn't look at me.

"All the clans have come together. They're in charge while there's a council meeting. They've ordered every able shinobi to start pulling away the ruble and if anyone is still trapped under it, help them." She says as she walks up to a tent. She opens the flap to show that there's some water and a small cot. I look at her but notice how she's smiling now.

"Though they've all agreed, you've done your part already. You need some rest. Besides, you're basically asleep on your feet as it is." She says and laughs. I nod and go inside. I immediately lie down on the bed and am out in a matter of seconds.

I wake up a many hours later. I feel really sore from earlier. I guess that's expected though. I slowly get up and rub my head as the room starts spinning. Too much happened earlier, I'm still trying to process it all. I open the tent flap and look out to see that it's dawn now. I slept way too long. I'm going to have to work really hard now with everyone else. I go back in to grab a towel and quiet leave to go find a stream or something to wash up in. Everyone else is still asleep so I try my best to stay quiet while running through the trees until I find a small river. I undress quickly and slide in. I'm still covered with cuts but it's just the remains of the larger ones. Kyuubi healed the majority of them already.

As I sit and try to relax, pondering and replaying everything that's happened recently I hear a small gasp from behind me. I quickly turn around to see Hinata standing there. Before yesterday I would have smiled at her and waved. But now, I knew why she was always red when she sees me. And this time, I start blushing too.

"H-Hinata…"

"G-Gomenasai Naruto-kun! B-But, I have to go!" She yells as she runs back to the temporary camps.

"H-Hey wait!" I yell but she doesn't come back. Great, like I needed more to think about. It's not like I had forgotten about Hinata's confession to me. It's just… I still didn't believe it. Though as the idea of her loving me processed in my mind, it did clear up a lot of questions about the shy Hyuuga heiress. Like why she was always red, why she stuttered, and why, even though I never told her that I had seen her, why she would watch me from the sidelines as I trained. Maybe I should let her go for now. After all, I have no idea what to say to her. Sure, Hinata is really nice and kind, but I've never looked at her for more than a friend. It's always been about Sakura, and I don't even know how she feels about me now. I don't ask her out everyday like I used to. I mean, I still like her, but… damn this is confusing! I slowly get out and get dried off and dressed again before making my way back to the tent. I know I told myself I'd immediately go and help everyone else, but all this new information is still making everything so hard. I just should rest a little bit more.

Dream

I'm back in the battlefield. I see Pein in front of me and I feel the urge to attack. I stop myself though and walk forward as calmly as I can.

"Why are you here again? Though I'm grateful that you saved my sensei, you shouldn't be here." I tell him. He doesn't say anything but he looks out at the remains of the village.

"You promised me… you said that you'll find the way to peace in this world." He says. Well yeah I did, but that was yesterday, did he expect me to do it all in a day? He looks back at me and grabs two bodies lying at his feet. I gasp as I see both Sakura and Hinata looking back at me, they're both gasping for breath, they're practically dead.

"Naruto… Why? You promised you'd bring peace. You promised you'd bring Sasuke-kun back to me. Why did you lie to me?" Sakura asks.

"I WILL bring Sasuke back Sakura! Please believe in me!" I yell to her.

"Naruto-kun… I believe in you, you've saved me so many times before. I love you Naruto-kun… You can save us all" Hinata says with a smile. I want to say something to her. I want her to keep talking and make me feel like I can do this. But I can't udder a single word. Pein drops them both and looks back at me.

"You've broken promises before. How can we all know that you won't do it again?" Pein asks. I don't know what to say. Suddenly I hear him mutter the name of his jutsu. I run but before I could take three steps, I see both Sakura's and Hinata's dead bodies in his hands, blood flowing from both of them. All I can do is scream as he throws them both a side.

"Life is precious. It shouldn't be wasted on meaningless battles. So why haven't you done anything to make sure these two didn't die?" Pein asks. I keep screaming as I run to both Sakura and Hinata. I try shaking them both but they don't respond. I just freeze as their faces both have the same look of sadness on them. The last expression that they'll ever have. I look to Pein and in his place are both Jiraiya and Dad. They both have hopeful smiles on their faces.

"I believe… That the day will come when people truly understand each other! If I can't find the answer, it will be up to you to do it!" Jiraiya says.

"You will find the answer. I believe in you…" Dad says with a smile.

"But what if I can't find it in time! I can't let the precious people in my life die!" I yell as I hold both Sakura and Hinata in my arms.

"You're my master, and my dad! You have to help me! You can't leave me here alone! I can't do this by myself!" I yell as tears fall.

"You're not alone Naruto-kun…" I look down and it's only Hinata in my arms now. She smiles softly up to me as she sits up.

"I'll be with you always now… I love you…" She says as she kisses me. Suddenly, everything starts to fade away.

End Dream

I wake up and am breathing heavily. I look around and am back in my tent again. I race out to see everyone working to try and make things a little bit more stable around here. Suddenly I see Sakura over talking to some other medics. She sees me and waves. I sigh as I remind myself that it was just a dream and everyone is safe. I walk over to her and smile.

"So, now that I'm feeling ten times better, what can I do to help out around here?" I ask her. She smiles and laughs.

"Right now, all the shinobi who are earth types are working to clear out where the village used to be. We've inspected and everything inside the wall was mainly destroyed. So the people who can use earth style are evening out where the crater is, many of the others are removing the rocks and rubble while the rest of us tend to the civilians. You might be able to help over with removing the rubble." She says.

"Though we need the help over there for now we need both of you. Everyone, civilians and shinobi are to report over near where Tsunade is resting. The council members have called a meeting and we all need to find out what's going to happen now." Shikamaru says as he comes out from the shade of a tent. Though I was confused, Sakura and I followed him. Everyone was there. All of the Rookie 9 and Gai's team. I look over where team 8 is and notice Hinata looking a little nervous as Kiba tries to joke around with her. I can't tell if he's being the annoying pain he normally is or if he's trying to hit on her. Either way I want him away from her. I shake my head as I try to clear my head. I need to focus on other things right now. Though I know the matter isn't going to go away, Hinata will understand if I wait for a little while. Besides, it looks like she doesn't seem ready to talk to me again either. Everyone is talking to each other wondering about what is going on and why even the civilians were here. But our muttering to each other was silenced when the elders step out of Tsunade's tent with many other noble looking people, including the feudal lord and for some reason Shikamaru's dad.

"Hey, Shikamaru, what's you dad doing?" Sakura asks behind me.

"He's a member of the council so he had to be a part of this meeting. It's troublesome, but I guess soon I'm going to be part of it too." He says. Before the feudal lord raises his hand for complete silence.

"After this tragedy that has happened to Konoha, we are grateful that our beloved 5th Hokage did the best to save everyone while we were under attack. Sadly, she is now in a coma, with no sign of her waking from it soon." He says. I get nervous. If he's making this announcement, there's gotta be something attached.

"However, much I wish we could, we're in a state of turmoil right now and cannot sit around waiting for a slim possibility of her waking. Thus, the council and I have agreed that we will need a new Hokage." After this of course there was much uproar from the crowd.

"No one wants a new Hokage!" We're willing to wait for Tsunade-sama!" "We don't need a 6th Hokage yet!" "The 5th is still alive!" people were shouting but it wasn't going to make a difference. It was obvious that these people were going to go ahead with this no matter what.

"People please listen to reason! If we don't have a firm leader right now the other nations could come in and attack us! This is for the greater good!" The feudal lord yelled. It too a few minutes but everyone quieted down after a bit.

"The council and I have come together and after listening to them, I have made my decision." Even before the man stepped forward I had a bad feeling that it wasn't going to be a good thing to have a new Hokage. But when I saw his face and knew who he was I started to tremble with anger, and for some reason, slight fear.

"Danzo, will be the 6th Hokage."