Hi, everyone. As you may know, a certain HPNaru was jettisoned, and notes for the rest of the story were included with the final chapter. I have used those notes to write out a portion of the story. There are a few things different, and I guess it has NaruSaku undertones instead of NaruHina (sorry…), but I think it's pretty good.

Oh, and I'm sorry for jettisoning Shino. I just had no idea how I could possibly write him in, because I couldn't picture how he'd react to anything, because he never reacts at all. I figured it would be better to have a good fic without Shino than a mediocre one with him in it. Not to say that Shino fics are mediocre, I just don't know how to write him.

"Is everyone alright?" asked Hermione. "We need to get back to the castle right now—"

"Naruto!" Everyone looked down in surprise to see Hinata, frighteningly close to tears, shaking the shoulders of aforementioned ninja. Naruto did not seem to hear her. He was curled into fetal position, staring straight ahead. He was pale, and the haunted look on his face gave everyone the immediate impression that something was not right.

Sakura gasped and kneeled in front of him. "Naruto! What's wrong? Come on, Naruto, talk to me…"

Naruto finally seemed to register that someone was near him, although he didn't appear to know where he was. The dreadful blankness in his eyes immediately morphed into pure fear, and his arms went up to cover his face. "Please…please…it's not my fault…"

Shikamaru turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, desperately seeking help. "What's going on? What can we…how is this…" he gestured at Naruto. This awful helplessness he was feeling…it reminded him so much of the time sitting outside ICU Room 6, waiting to see if another friend of his would pull through. All the panic, guilt and anxiety of that day that he had thought had vanished with Chouji's recovery had been recycled, and he knew that, despite his maturity growth spurt after the conversation with his father, he wouldn't be able to handle it if Naruto…his brain shied away from the thought.

Hermione had analyzed the situation at the speed of light and turned her attention to assuaging the group's worries. "The creature was called a dementor. It has a very unique power…"

"Get on with it!" yelled Kiba. It seemed that despite the fights dog-boy and fox-boy got into on a daily basis, they still cared about each other very much. Kiba had as much concern for Naruto as did the others. Looking around, Hermione realized that Naruto actually was very well liked by everyone. Hinata looked like she was going to pass out, Sakura was terrified, Kiba was anxious…even Shikamaru had been stirred from his lazy, tranquil state to show genuine concern. She felt a twinge of sympathy for them, so worried for their friend, and continued her explanation.

"You see, the dementor can actually…if it gets close…make one relive their most painful and unhappy moments. They feed on happiness, and…that's what's left."

There was dead silence as everyone absorbed this. Sakura wrapped her arms around Naruto protectively, mulling it over. She dimly recalled seeing people turn away as Team 7 walked to dinner one evening; after asking Kakashi about it, he had brushed it off, but not before giving Naruto, who for some reason was staring at the ground, a quick look of sympathy and understanding. Sakura really had no idea what Naruto's life before Team 7 was actually like, or what had happened to him, but she came to the conclusion that it must have been miserable.

Everyone else was busy thinking similar thoughts, and soon Kiba broke the silence. "What can we do?"

"Well," said Hermione, relieved that the hard part was over, "there's not much we really can do, except bring him back to the castle and wait until he wakes up. Just takes a little time, that's all."

There was an audible sigh of relief from the ninjas when they realized that their companion wasn't in any danger. "Come on," said Shikamaru, draping one of Naruto's arms over his shoulder and, supporting him, carefully standing up. "Let's go."

Sakura immediately moved to take Naruto's other arm, and they set off for the castle. On the way, Naruto looked up and finally seemed to see Sakura for the first time. He saw her, gasped, and looked at the ground. "I couldn't do it…Sakura, I'm sorry…I couldn't keep my promise…I just wasn't strong enough!" His eyes closed. "I couldn't save Sasuke for you…" And as Naruto fell asleep on her shoulder, Sakura cried. Me. It's me. I'M one of the reasons Naruto is suffering so much right now…I couldn't save Sasuke, so I forced my selfish expectations on him…Sakura silently swore to herself that never again would she put Naruto in such a position. Never again would he be so miserable on her behalf.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru was respectfully pretending not to notice Sakura's tears. This was all old news to him, of course; that day in the hospital with the three of them had brought all this to light. Shikamaru was a very observant person, and he couldn't help but resent Sakura for not noticing that Naruto had obviously been hurting for a very long time. But then again, when one's best friend was in a perpetual awkward stage, one got very good at noticing such things.

Harry walked mindlessly, one foot in front of the other like clockwork. Each step was an accusing voice in his head…your fault…your fault…YOUR FAULT…Harry could vividly remember those awful dementor visions of his parents' deaths, and knew that he would not wish them on everyone. His stomach turned over, sickened by the knowledge that he had done this to Naruto, his protector, his friend…

Hermione jumped in surprise as Harry sprinted off and vomited into a bush. Choking and panting, he finally got up and rejoined the little group.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No."

And that was the end of that. Hermione dropped the subject and continued leading everyone back to the dorm in Gryffindor Tower. Nobody was in the common room or the dormitory, as it was the middle of the day, but that was just as well because they all could have hardly fit into Naruto's corner of the dorm with a hundred curious onlookers there too, not to mention that annoying questions were exactly what they didn't need. Minute by agonizing minute, rarely speaking, everyone waited for Naruto to wake up.

It was dark and it was cold, and those were the two sensations Naruto could feel above all else. He was wondering where he was when suddenly he was four years old again. "Demon!" "Your kind don't belong here!" "Get away from me!" Naruto shivered, sinking into the well of loneliness that had been his habitat until he turned 10. Suddenly it was his birthday again. "Come on…demons shouldn't be allowed to live and take up valuable resources…" PAIN! It was blossoming all over him at once, blocking out everything else and causing it all to fade to black…

…he was in an all-too-familiar underground tunnel, staring into the face of his tenant…but this time was different. Instead of being on the outside looking in, Naruto was locked behind the steel bars, watching through his hijacked eyes as the Kyuubi terrorized his village. BAM! CRASH! BANG! Sakura, Iruka, Kakashi…everyone was being annihilated in the epidemic of destruction. Naruto felt waves of shame wash through him as his friends were killed. If only I were strong enough…I could have beat him…I could have saved everyone…it's my fault. The fourth hokage, whom Naruto had always felt a connection to, always admired and hero-worshipped, laughed in his face, You think you could be like me? You think you could surpass me? No, no, you'll always be too weak, always! You'll never be strong enough, never, you monster! Monster! MONSTER! Naruto felt the darkness taking him again…

…and he was sitting on a rock in the Valley of the End while his best friend stood over him, kunai in hand, eyes gleaming maniacally. Who do you think you are? You aren't strong, oh no. You couldn't even save me, could you? You couldn't keep your promise to Sakura, just because you're not good enough. And you know what? You never will be. Naruto stared at him, speechless. The words were like bullets, tearing him open, all the more sharp because they were a hundred percent true. Yes, Naruto was forever inferior, never good enough, fated to eternally struggle in Sasuke's shadow. Utterly defeated, Naruto sat, staring up at the person who had once been his rival. Sasuke raised his eyebrows. I bet you're feeling awful right now. Well, the truth hurts. Hey, why don't I put you out of your misery? Right here and now… Naruto could only watch helplessly as the razor-sharp kunai came closer and closer to him. The knife grew in his vision, blotting out Sasuke and the scenery as it zoomed toward his head. Naruto shut his eyes and prepared for the end…

Naruto's eyes snapped open. The people standing around his bed jumped, having been tense for what felt like forever. As soon as they realized that he was in fact awake and this wasn't just a trick of the light, the room breathed a collective sigh of relief. Sakura leaned over so she was facing Naruto. "How are you? Do you feel okay now? Don't worry, everything's gonna be fine…" she trailed off as she saw the expression on his face.

Naruto was seized with irrational fear. Soon the villagers would come back and hurt him again…no, that wasn't right. Adrenaline pumped through his system. He had to act quickly or everyone would die because of him…no, wait, that was wrong too. He shut his eyes and waited for death by Sasuke, but realized that that wasn't right either. He was back with his friends, in the strange world he had been summoned to, back with his friends. Quickquickquick, put your mask back on and say the right thing before they notice…

Naruto grinned his thousand-megawatt smile up at everyone and exclaimed, "Whoa, that was an awful dream!"

Later it was agreed that Naruto should be left alone so he could rest. Harry, Hermione and Ron decided to do their homework. As she reread her Transfiguration essay, Hermione wondered out loud, "Why did the dementor affect Naruto like that? It seems like quite a strong reaction, don't you—"

"You have no idea." Shikamaru was standing over them, looking down. "We don't either, of course. Nobody could even guess at what might have happened to him in the past." Of course, this was not strictly true. Shikamaru, being a Chunin, had certain administrative and record-keeping duties within the Hokage Tower. Upon finding out some very startling information about the Kyuubi attack of 12 years before, Shikamaru was somewhat surprised, but mostly disgusted with himself for not figuring it out earlier. All the pieces fit into place, including the chronic solitude. Ever since he found out the truth, Shikamaru had done whatever he could to fix that part. But, of course, Novocain doesn't fill a cavity.

Harry put his head on a nearby table, staring into the shiny wood. What have I done?

Suddenly, Sakura got up and started striding purposefully to where they had just came from. Hinata caught her eye and stood up, and Shikamaru joined them. Together, with Ron, Hermione and Harry watching, the three of them walked away.

The strain of holding on for just enough time took its toll, and Naruto felt his excellent control slipping. The dementor visions he had seen began to catch up with him, and before he knew it he was holding his knees, gasping, out-of-control sobs bursting free from his throat.

Soon, he heard the door open and his swollen eyes caught a few blurs approaching. Naruto knew without words that they were his friends, and, despite his Herculean efforts for the past several years to hide this part of him, could not help feeling infinitely grateful to all of them. They were all here, standing behind him, even though he was hated by many others, even though he wasn't strong enough yet to save Sasuke, they were here supporting him. The misery lifted its foot from his windpipe as he realized that the dementors' illusions were exactly that: illusions. In the here and now, none of that stuff was real. I'm not alone anymore. I'M NOT ALONE ANYMORE!

Hope you liked it. Reviews welcomed. Credit for ideas goes to br0kenxchains, writing itself by me.