His vision was blurred and the room was bright when he finally woke up. He quickly recognized the Kohona hospital; he had spent quite a bit of time her when he was younger. He was so careless then. He blinked a few time and quickly realized he was not alone. There were at least ten people in the room staring at him as if he weren't real.

He had known it was going to be awkward. However, this was the most uncomfortable he had ever been. He began to fidget, waiting for someone to say something. Everyone was staring at him…and not saying a word. He hated silence…

"Hey guys!" he smiled, hoping someone would, at the very least, respond. No one did.

He scanned each old friend, every face…they looked the same, yet different. There was Shikamaru, an ANBU with a mask slung on the top of his head. And Choji, still round and eating, next to Ino, who was gorgeous and brash with her hair even longer then before. There was Lee, TenTen, and Neji. Team Gai…they seemed the same, yet he noticed Neji's hand linked with TenTen's. Maybe Neji had stopped being such a bastard. Shino looked exactly the same, still stoic and unmoving, while Kiba was wrapped with bandages, his hair wilder then before…and the mischievous glint in his eyes gone. Hinata was behind him, and she was beautiful. Hinata had always been beautiful…in a strange, unusual way that he had never understood when he was younger. Her hair was longer and she stood taller…stronger then he remembered. Her unique lavender eyes caught his bright blue ones. Looking at her broke his heart. He hadn't meant to be gone from her this long. He looked away first…finally seeing his pink haired teammate…Sakura. She looked older…tired. Broken. He had done that to her. He and Sasuke. She looked like she had cried recently.

He hadn't meant to stay away for so long…that hadn't been the plan. Five years was too long, he had missed Kohona. He had missed the training grounds and the Hokage Monument and the ramen shop. Even his little tiny apartment.

But most of all, he missed these people. His friends…his family. His precious people. They were what he lived for. They were what drove him. Without them he would be an angry demon child. He smiled, so happy to see them again. Jiraiya had kept him up to date with the goings on in Kohona, but it was never enough. Ever piece of information he receive made him want more. Gave him a thousand questions. Made him yearn to see them. Now here they were, looking at him as if he would disappear if they made any movement or uttered a word.

"Ok, come on now, guys. Say something! Please?" He was starting to get nervous. Maybe they wouldn't forgive him for being away for so long. He rubbed the back of his head and smiled, pleading silently for someone to say anything.

"Are you really here?" Sakura choked out, holding his eyes with hers.

"I finally get someone to talk to me and that's the first question you ask? Of course I am, though I would rather be somewhere other then the damn hospital. Why do I always end up here?"

"Because you're a dobe?" Sasuke asked, entering the room with Tsunade and Jiraiya. His presence was treated the same as Naruto's. Everyone silently stared at him.

"You teme…are you handcuffed?" He laughed as he noticed Sasuke's hands cuffed together in front of him.

"Apparently I am a threat to your safety and a flight risk." Naruto laughed harder at this.

"Seriously?" He looked at Tsunade, who nodded.

"He's technically a dangerous missing-nin and has tried to kill you…twice," she said, looking apologetically at Sasuke. She knew the truth of his defection, but the council did not and would probably not believe it if they did. All she could do was fight for the lightest sentence.

"Do you wanna kill me, nii-chan?" Naruto asked, flicking Sasuke's nose and laughing harder than Sasuke had seen him laugh in a long time.

"Eventually, these cuffs will come off. And I know where you live." But he smirked as he talked to Naruto. It was so good to see him happy.

"Sorry, everyone, but you are going to have to leave," Tsunade told the young ninja. With one last look at their estranged friends, they walked out of the white room. He was glad they left, but the awkward energy seemed to stay. Tsunade stared at him just as his friends had. As if he were about to disappear if she blinked. She didn't look at him like a Hokage, but as a mother. As if he had run from her…as if it were her fault.

It wasn't. It wasn't anyone's fault but his own. He had chosen this path, he had made this plan. He and Sasuke left Kohona together…even if Sasuke physically left years before Naruto. They had achieved their goal, Orochimaru was dead. And now they had consequences to face. He had known this day would come…but there was no way to prepare. All they could do was hope for forgiveness and leniency, but knew they didn't deserve it. But maybe their friends would be able to see it was necessary. That there was no other way to end this war.

"I don't know whether to kill you or hug you," she whispered to him, tears shining in her brown eyes. That stabbed him in the heart. She was the closes thing he would ever have to a mother, and she loved him. And he hurt her. He hurt her. Hurt her…enough for her to cry. Not many people had ever cried for him.

"I'm sorry," he spoke softly, looking down at his hands. They were twisting the white sheet. He couldn't look at them because tears were forming in his eyes too. He did not cry, especially not in front of Sasuke and Jiraiya. He jolted when she threw her arms around him, tears falling on his shoulder. "I am really sorry. Please stop crying obaa-chan. I'm sorry."

"I am so happy you are here. You really are ok? Jiraiya said you'd be fine on your own, but I was worried. You're ok, though. You're fine, right?" She looked him over, spending extra time on his face.

"I'm fine. I promise! And a man never takes back his words," he smiled gentle at her. "Besides, I wasn't alone, I had Sasuke-teme." Tsunade eyed the dark haired boy. He had left shortly after she came back to Kohona and she did not know him well. In fact, all she knew was that he defected to follow Orochimaru and almost killed her Naruto. Twice. So she wasn't so trusting of the Uchiha. Naruto knew she was slightly prejudiced against his best friend. Her experiences with Sasuke hadn't been good at all. However, he knew she trusted him and his opinion of people. And Sasuke was his brother.

"Look at you, kid. You really have grown." Her eyes looked into his and she smiled. He had grown. He was taller and more muscular. He had even more stamina and chakra control. His Justus were more numerous and powerful. And he was slightly calmer and more relaxed.

The door flew open and yet another familiar face entered the room. "It's true. I heard the kids talking, but I wasn't sure if it was true. You're back!" Iruka gasped, obviously winded from running all the way to the hospital. Unlike the others, Iruka left no time for awkward silence. He lunged at Naruto, hugging harder than Tsunade had, which he hadn't believed was possible. "Where have you been? Are you ok? You were gone so long, Naruto. You had me so worried!"

"Sorry, Iruka!"

"Five years is along time. You could have a least contacted me once or twice." He looked at his old teacher. He looked older, but still had that soft look in his warm eyes. No matter what he had done when he was younger, Iruka always had that look, even when he was trying to reprimand Naruto. Naruto hugged him again.

"I didn't want certain enemies to be able to track me. I am sorry. Really. I know, I'll treat you to ramen and then we can catch up!"

"You'll treat me? I don't think you've ever said that before." Iruka looked at his former student. He still looked younger then he really was, but was obviously not twelve anymore. He had grown up so handsomely.

"Well, I figure I owe you since you always picked up the tab when I was a genin," he smiled, growing hungry at the thought of ramen.

"Well, technically, you are still a genin, Naruto," Jiraiya interrupted.

"Shut up Ero-sennin! You are ruining my homecoming!"