Okay, now this really is the end of the fic. It's just a little epilogue and takes place approximately 3-4 years later.
Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me
Closure
A lone figure walked along the dusty path. Blond hair fading into red flaired out around him-making it seem as if he were surrounded by fire. Gradually he reached the open gates of Konoha and paused.
I can't believe I came back here. Only for you my little-fox.
-----
A girl with chin-length-pink hair sat on the floor reading quietly. Across from her an older woman with light blond hair sat flipping through countless scrolls. The room was still and no sound could be heard except for the occasional shuffling of paper. A sigh could be heard from the younger girl as she rose from the floor. Silently she strode to the bookshelf and put the book up. Her emerald eyes scanned through the books and paused at one. Taking it out of its place she held it in one arm a proceeded to flip through it. Suddenly a slip of paper fell out of the book and she reached down to pick it up. Turning the paper over to look at its contents she gasped and the book fell through her loosened grip.
"Sakura?" came Tsunade's voice
"Live and be happy while you can..." Sakura shakily said "How was he able to say that before he left? And with a smile at that. Be happy? Just what was he thinking?"
Sighing Tsunade walked over to Sakura and took the paper out of her hands. It was a picture of the three with and inscription in Naruto's messy handwriting: Live and be happy while you can. Even years after he left Naruto was still around when you didn't wanted it least. She looked at Sakura and replied, "Naruto just wanted the best for us all Sakura. He didn't want anyone to go through any pain."
"I just don't get him! Why did he let it all happen that way? How could he hide it all?" Sakura sobbed, "Didn't he want to be happy too?"
"Of course he did." Tsunade said
Sakura only continued, "Then why all the facade! Why the secrets? Why did couldn't he be happy himself?"
"But he was." came a voice from the door. A man with slitted-red eyes and fire-red hair stood at the room's entrance, "Naruto was as happy for as long as he could be while trying to keep everyone else happy too. But it was this kindness that caused his own happiness to be cut short."
"Who are you? And how do you know Naruto?" questioned Tsunade warily
A smirk arose onto the stranger's face, "I am the one who has been with Naruto the longest. I have seen the hatred he had to endure, and the few joys he received in his lifetime. I watched him be discriminated against and how he still grew to love this village that despised him for something he had no control over. I was there when he fell in love for the first time, and saw the anguish he went through because the one he loved was Sasuke, a boy like himself. I was with him when he let Sasuke leave this place and when he killed Sasuke. I was the only one who saw him bury the love of his life in that clearing that was their own, and I was the only one with him as he died."
A shocked gasp came from both women. Tsunade hesitated for a moment, "C-could it be that you are the Nine-Tails?"
"The one and only."
Tsunade stiffened, "Why are you here?"
The smirk faded from Kyuubi's face and a shadow fell across his eyes, "To fulfill Naruto's last wish."
"W-wait! N-naruto...he can't be dead. You're lying." Sakura desperately asked Kyuubi.
"I wish I were. But my being here is the proof that Naruto is gone."
Sakura slumped to the floor, "How...?"
"Do you really wish to know?" Asked Kyuubi to them both.
Tsunade stepped in, "Yes we would."
"He died fulfilling the only goal of Sasuke's he could: killing Itachi. I told him not to go at his current strength. Naruto wasn't close to Itachi's level, but he insisted. And of course he had to enlist my chakra to help him defeat Itachi, but my chakra isn't meant to be wielded by humans; and that is what really killed him. His body couldn't handle the stress that he forced onto it; not even with my healing abilities. Naruto was in constant pain as my chakra tore through his body, but he no longer cared. So long as he could kill Itachi, Naruto would endure any pain-even death. That boy was too kind for his own good, and I will never understand where he had the strength to free me from his body but he managed it. And I don't know how. One minute I was dying with him, and the next I was watching him die in front of me. Even in death he still thinks about others. Naruto did not want me to die because of him, and he wanted me to come back here."
"Why?"
Kyuubi held his hand out to Tsunade, "Naruto wanted closure." Tsunade's necklace was in Kyuubi's palm.
"He wanted you to understand that it wasn't your fault that he died. Naruto wanted you to know that your being here let him die more peacefully knowing that someone he could trust was taking care of the village he loved so much. Do not blame yourself again for the death of another person. This was his choice and his choice alone to make."
As Tsunade took the necklace from Kyuubi the tears began to flow from her eyes, and the dam broke. Not once did she shed any tears when Naruto left, and now all the tears she'd been holding back where flowing freely.
Kyuubi turned to Sakura and handed her an envelope, "Naruto wanted to apologize himself so he gave this to me to give to you."
Through her tears she carefully opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside:
Dear Sakura-chan,
I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the pain I put you through. I'm sorry for being such a pain in the butt when you didn't want me around, but I just wanted to not be alone you know. I wanted all of us to spend a little more time together, before everything came to an end. I'm sorry I couldn't bring Sasuke back like I promised I would-I never wanted to lie to you, but I couldn't just tell you the truth. Can you ever forgive me for that? I'm sorry I sprung the truth to you without really explaining it to you. And I'm sorry I left. I sorry for being so selfish that I left you all in Konoha. I just want you to know that no matter how I may have acted, I really did cherish our friendship.
"N-naruto no. Y-you have nothing to be sorry for! You've done so much for this village and we never gave you back anything in return." Sakura sobbed as she clutched the letter.
Kyuubi turned back towards the door, "As I lived inside Naruto I watched him grow to love this village that hated him to no end. I gave him comfort as an infant and he became my Little-fox. Naruto is the only human I have ever accepted and this village has caused the death of him. I can honestly say that I still hate humans, and I'd be happy to finish what I was doing before I was sealed in Naruto, but I won't. My little one did not wish it so. Naruto wanted to keep this village safe from harm and I will respect that by becoming it's guardian. Until the day Naruto can receive his own happiness I will remain in this village."
Kyuubi left the two women and headed for the only place he'd known in the village-Naruto's shaggy home. He'd reverted into a fox form and curled on Naruto's bed and allowed himself to sleep.
The knell of mourning bells could be heard the next day as Konoha learned of the death of it's greatest hero.
Owari
I hope ya'll enjoyed my fic. Comment's appreciated
