I'd like to say thanks to everyone who reviewed. And, incase everyone was wondering, I wrote the author's notes for last chapter before writing the chapter, so I ended up putting in a warning about cussing that I didn't need. Heck, there was only one cuss word in the entire chapter. Though in this one, there will definitely be plenty of cussing. Also, I'd like to thank everyone who guessed whom the newcomer was. Someone even emailed me and asked if it was Itachi. I never expected that anyone would suspect Itachi of it, and, although I expected it, I'm sorry to say that Ino will not be the one to kick Sasuke's ass. That would've been interesting, but she's still sobbing on top of Naruto's bed. Anyway, on to the story!

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Chapter 7:

Best Friends Part II

Recap

"You don't know when to quit, do you?" Sasuke sneered at the new arrival. "Oh, I know when to quit. It just isn't time for that now."

End Recap

Standing proudly, glaring down at Sasuke, was Naruto. Sakura had been shocked when the unconscious boy in her arms had suddenly shot up and charged at Sasuke, but she was scared as she looked at Naruto now. All his wounds were completely healed, despite the fact that she had just started healing him, starting with the biggest wounds first. Not only that, but something seemed a bit strange about him. Then it hit her. Naruto was covered in a layer of chakra, almost like a second skin, but the chakra wasn't his own. It was, well, red, for the lack of a better way to describe it. Not like the gentle yellow his chakra normally was.

Tsunade cursed under her breath as she staggered back, healing herself as she moved away from Naruto and towards Sakura. It seemed that the kyuubi had decided to come out and play, though why it was helping Naruto was beyond her. Only one thing was for certain, and that was if she and Sakura stayed, Naruto wouldn't be able to go all out in his fight. So, she grabbed Sakura and began to run as fast as she could away from the two boys, ignoring Sakura's protests.

Sasuke glanced around when he realized that Tsunade and Sakura had run off. In fact, Orochimaru had disappeared as well. "Fucking bastard. Where'd he go this time?" Shaking his head, he looked back at Naruto and grinned. "So, it seems that you didn't learn your lesson when I kicked your ass this morning."

Naruto cracked his knuckles as he slowly advanced on Sasuke, his three tails of chakra swaying behind him. "No, I learned my lesson alright. I learned that you need three helpers, two snakes, and poison gas to take me on. One on one, though. That's another matter. I beat you last time, and I can beat you again." With that line, Naruto struck with such speed and abruptness, that Sasuke barely got away.

Damn it! My eyes are barely picking up his movements! Could he really have improved this much in only a couple of months? No matter. As he dodged out of the way of another one of Naruto's blows, he quickly formed hand signals, and struck. "Grand Fireball no Jutsu!" Rearing his head back, then snapping it forwards, Sasuke unleashed a tremendous gout of flame from his mouth, scorching the earth where Naruto had been just a split second before.

"Shit!" Naruto had just barely been able to dodge the flames. Unable to see exactly what Sasuke had been planning, he had had less than a millisecond to react to the fireball. As he quickly put out the flames that smoldered on his left leg, his foot had been hit with the fireball, he charged at Sasuke again.

As the fight continued on for the next hour Naruto was glad, and not for the first time, that he had the kyuubi sealed inside of him. He certainly would've lost to Sasuke already if he hadn't been able to call on the demon's chakra to enhance his speed, strength, and pretty much every part of his body. Now, everything came down to one final attack, just like at the Valley of the End, all those months ago. But, unlike then, Naruto had no intention of letting Sasuke live.

Sasuke grimaced as he felt the shockwave that resulted from his chidori crashing into Naruto's rasengan. Though he didn't like to admit it, Naruto was strong. Stronger than he was apparently. This last thought didn't go through his mind until he felt Naruto swing a second rasengan up and into his gut. There was so much force behind the blow that, instead of feeling like he was being hit by a small hurricane, it instead felt like a ball of pure pain was hitting him. Sasuke staggered backwards, a great hole in his stomach, and part of his chest missing. "Damn you, bastard. I should've wonthisfightt…" His words slurred together as he fell to the ground, dead.

Then, exhaustion over taking him as the kyuubi withdrew its chakra, Naruto collapsed as well. For a moment, when Sakura first looked upon where he lay, she thought both boys were dead. Her eyes filled with tears, she rushed over to him. As she drew nearer, she started sobbing, but out of joy. She had noticed that Naruto's chest rose and fell. He was still alive! Sasuke, on the other hand, was another matter. He had lost so much blood from Naruto's last attack, that if he'd somehow managed to live through the initial impact, he would've been dead moments later anyway.

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Back at Konoha, several hours later

Ino had finally pulled herself together enough to leave Naruto's house and head for the gates of Konoha. And there she waited, for several hours, before any sign of Sakura and the Hokage were seen. Then, just as Ino had slipped off into a light doze, someone shouted to open the gates. Bolting upright, she looked down over the wall and almost laughed with relief. There was Sakura, carrying Naruto, who was apparently sleeping, and Tsunade, carrying Sasuke. But there was something not quite right about Sasuke.

Once she had jumped down to greet them on the inside of the gate did she realize what it was. Sasuke was dead. As she realized this she felt a sort of savage pleasure rush through her. Sasuke couldn't hurt Naruto anymore! And now there was one less threat to Konoha as well.

Without either side speaking, Ino walked over to Sakura and tried to take Naruto from her. After a moment's hesitation, Sakura let her, whispering, "He's just exhausted. He pushed himself to his limits to kill Sasuke" as she did so. Ino nodded, then looked over at the Hokage, who nodded as well. With that, Ino began to head back towards Naruto's apartment, followed by Sakura, and the whispers of those who saw them.

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One week later

The days following the return to Konoha were somber. But nothing compared to today, the day of Sasuke's funeral service. It was being held even though many people thought he didn't deserve one. Naruto, for one, was actually in favor of the service. He was still having trouble accepting the fact that he had killed Sasuke himself, and was hoping the service would help him sort out his thoughts. Unfortunately, as each story was told, Naruto began to doubt his actions more and more. At least, until Sakura stood up. Where everyone else had told sugar coated versions of the events Sasuke had been involved in, Sakura told the stories she knew of Sasuke's life without anything added. Naruto realized how hard this must've been, since until Sasuke tried to kill her a couple of months ago, she looked at everything he did without seeing any of the faults.

Once everything was all said and done, Naruto quickly headed home. Once there, he collapsed onto his bed and began to cry. After hearing everyone's stories, he was in more doubt than he had been on his own. Sure, Sasuke had done some pretty horrible things, but why hadn't he given him another chance? Of course, the rational side of Naruto told him that it was because Sasuke had already used up more chances than he deserved, but it was ignored.

He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice as the apartment door opened and someone came in. He did notice, however, when two pairs of hands began to gently massage his back. Slowly he turned his head to see both Ino and Sakura smiling down at him. "You okay, sweetie?" Ino spoke softly as she bent forwards enough so that she could kiss the top of his head. When he didn't respond, she frowned slightly. "You did everything you could, dear." Sakura nodded in agreement before speaking up as well. "Yeah. And we're both glad that you're the one left alive, instead of Sasuke. Besides, if you hadn't killed him, I would've." Naruto smiled softly at this, but still didn't respond.

Ino and Sakura shared a glance at each other before kneeling on either side of Naruto. Then, as one, they each kissed Naruto on the cheek. Naruto's eyes widened at this and he sat up. "What the…?" Ino and Sakura giggled before sitting down next to Naruto and holding onto one arm each. Seeing the expression on Naruto's face, Ino explained. "We were both tired of fighting over you, so we decided to share you. That is, if it's okay with you." Naruto grinned and chuckled at this. Then, in response, he kissed Ino softly on the lips first, then did the same to Sakura, who blushed furiously. Maybe living with the fact that I killed Sasuke won't be as hard as I had thought.

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Well, that wasn't how I had intended for this story to turn out, but I think it works. Thank you DJ Rodriguez, for giving me the idea to turn this into a NaruHarem (sort of) fic. I hope this decision doesn't turn any people away. But if it does, oh well, this is my fic.

Coming Up in Chapter 8: Wait a Sec, He's Got What Inside of Him!

Naruto explains to Ino and Sakura exactly what the deal is with him and the kyuubi. As Sakura's parents begin to act like Ino's, she moves out as well. Using the money Sakura got from the Hokage for successfully completing the "mission" of rescuing Naruto, along with money that Naruto and Ino put forwards, they all buy a small house on the outskirts of Konoha for all of them to live in together.