They pulled up in front of Naruto's house slowly, and a sense of uneasiness washed over him as he saw his mother's car parked in the driveway. He was supposed to be in his room now. He exchanged a look with his aunt before they got out of the car.

"I'll take care of it," Tsunade had said, giving him a smile. They got to the front door and rang the doorbell. Yumi opened the door a crack like she had when Tsunade had come before, but when she saw Naruto there with the older blonde she flung the door wide and launched herself onto him.

"Naruko, my baby! I'm so glad you're safe! I thought you left me for good," she said. She looked up at Tsunade with an innocent look.

"Yumi-san, we need to talk about Naruto," she said. She ignored the woman's trembling at her son's male name and walked into the house. Yumi followed quickly after, still holding onto Naruto. Once in the living room, there was a heavy silence. Naruto removed his arm from his mothers grip and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'm going to get a drink all right? I'll be right back," he told her.

"All right honey," she replied in a whisper. He left the two alone, but didn't go to the kitchen. He wasn't thirsty, he just wanted to get out of the tension between the two women.

"Where did you find my little Naruko, Tsunade-chan? I didn't expect her to leave, so I got a little worried. But I'm glad you brought her back," Yumi began with a sweet smile on her face.

"Don't you think you should be calling him his real name Yumi-san?" Tsunade said. Yumi's expression did not change, and she only tilted her head to the side.

"Who?" she said.

"Naruto. Your son." Yumi froze but her smile was ever present.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about. I only have a daughter, and her name is Naruko, not Naruto," she said shakily.

"No matter what you say, you know Naruto's a boy. It won't change any time soon either. And the way you're treating him, locking him up in his room, isn't healthy for him," Tsunade said sternly. Yumi's expression changed at this, glaring at the blonde woman.

"I know what's best for my child, Tsunade-chan, and I don't need your counseling on it," she said harshly. "I'm keeping her safe from that mad man! I don't want Naruko to be taken from me again! I won't let anyone take her from me, not even you!"

"I'm not trying to take him away. Even if you think you're protecting Naruto, you're only going to end up hurting him in the end. You've already hurt him enough with your twisted game of dress up," Tsunade spat. All her frustration and anger at the woman was coming out now, and it wouldn't be pretty for either side. Naruto simply stood against the wall near the room's doorway, listening to the conversation. Who did Yumi mean when she said 'mad man'?

"She's a girl, it's how she's supposed to dress. I don't see how I'm hurting my own child. Naruko seems very happy as she is," Yumi said.

"You really aren't getting any better are you, Yumi-san? You need to accept the fact that your son can't always dress as a girl just because you think he's one. He has his own life, and he wants to live it as a boy! He wants to live it freely, but you're restricting him and keeping him all to yourself just because Snake's back?" Tsunade yelled. Naruto's heart stopped at the name. He's…back…?

"You don't need to lock Naruto up just because you're afraid of losing him again," Tsunade continued.

"Don't tell me how to raise my child Tsunade! I don't need to hear that from you!" Yumi said. "Get out of my house!"

"Think of what you're doing to him!"

"I said get out!" she screamed. Tsunade wanted to say so much more, but she held it back. Yumi wouldn't listen, not even to her. A loud thump was heard in the hall, and the two women rushed to the noise. Naruto was out cold on the floor.

"Naruto-!"

"I told you to get out of my house Tsunade. I can take care of my own child," Yumi said threateningly, blocking the blonde from touching her son. Tsunade looked from the unconscious Naruto to his mother before turning with her lips drawn into a tight line. She left without another word. No matter how much she wanted to help, she knew she couldn't. Yumi wouldn't let her. She just prayed Naruto would be fine.

Naruto woke up in his bed, still in the outfit he'd worn when he went out with his aunt. He looked curiously at his hands as though he'd never seen them before, and then grinned. He got up, walked into the bathroom, and looked at his girlish face. He chuckled lowly, the grin still in place. No, Naruto wasn't going crazy. Naruto wasn't even there anymore. The voice in his head, the one that had protected him when he was with Orochimaru, had come out and taken over. Naruto hadn't taken his pills in a few days, and the shock from hearing his torturer was back had made him faint, and his unconscious state had put the voice in his place. Finding this the perfect time to say some things he knew Naruto had wanted to say to his mother, he thought he'd go do that. Whether Naruto liked it or not. It's for your own good, brat.

"Naruko? Are you in there?" Yumi called from his room. His grin grew for a second before he assumed what looked like a 'Naruto' expression.

"I was just using the toilet mom," he said as he walked out of the room.

"Oh, there you are. How are you honey?" she asked. He walked past her and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm fine," he said. "But there's something I've been wanting to tell you mom."

"What is it honey?" she asked. He was barely hiding his feral grin from the woman as the next words slipped off his tongue. He'd been waiting to see her reaction to it for a long time now.

"I don't like you," he started. He saw her eyes widen. "You've been a bad mother to me all these years, pretending I was a girl. You need to stop living in your little fantasy and let me be who I am, because I'm not you're toy. I am a boy, and that's who I'm going to be. No matter what you say."

"Wh-what? Naruko, honey, you're not-"

"My name's Naruto, mom, not Naruko. Get it right," he said with a bored expression playing on his face. The woman was trembling. He got up and walked past her out of the room. "I'm going to school now. But…just think about it, mom. You're getting your son back."

Tsunade sat at her desk, flipping her pencil with a worried expression on her face. Shizune had already asked her what was wrong, to which Tsunade had simply said, "Naruto."

She figured he must have been listening in on their conversation and fainted from shock in hearing that Snake was back. After all he'd been through…and now the one that had done it to him was running loose again. She probably should have told him sooner instead of having him find out that way. The door opened, and the blonde looked up thinking it was just student coming to say they were sick. Instead, she found Naruto standing before her with the same clothes from the day before.

"Hey," he said as he walked in. Noticing the subtle change of attitude, her eyes narrowed.

"Kyuubi," she said. He faked a pout and put his hands on his hips.

"Not too happy to see me, are we? That hurts my feelings auntie."

"I thought you weren't bothering Naruto anymore," Tsunade said, motioning for the boy to sit. He did so while throwing her a grin.

"Well…he did forget to take his medicine for a couple days, but don't blame him," he said in an innocent voice, seeing her frown at that. "He needed someone to talk to all those lonely days his psycho mother had him locked up by himself."

"Then is that why you're out now?"

"Oh no, no, no, no. I'm out because when he fainted from the shock, he pushed me out. I think it was rather rude of him, but I can't really control what that brat does," he replied. "Anyway, I'd like to go back now. I've already done what I wanted to do concerning your little Naru-chan's mother. Besides, this place bores me now."

"So why did you come here if you were going to go back?" Tsunade asked.

"Well because I couldn't have him fainting just anywhere, and I certainly didn't want him staying another day in that house. Besides I wanted to see you again," he told her still grinning. "Now with that done-"

"W-wait, what did you-!" Tsunade said, just realizing what he'd said before.

"-I will be leaving now. Make sure to get the brat's hair cut soon," he finished with a smirk. He fainted once again with the final words, "Good bye."

Shizune walked in to see an unconscious Naruto and Tsunade frowning while holding him. Immediately she went into panic mode. She took Naruto from Tsunade's arms when it seemed that she wasn't going to be moving any time soon, and placed him on the vacant bed. She turned to Tsunade and asked, "What happened?"

"Kyuubi came out, and he did something," Tsunade said.

"What did he do? Why was he out?!" Shizune asked.

"Naruto found out that Snake is back, yesterday." A gasp, Shizune hadn't known. "He fainted from shock I guess, and pushed Kyuubi out. But I think he's going to push Naruto back out now…"

"Then…what did he do?"

"I don't know what he did Shizune-san. He said something about Yumi-san, and getting Naruto a haircut. Beyond that, all I know is that he did something, and I really hope it won't effect Naruto too much."

"You don't think he…" Shizune trailed off in concern. Tsunade's eyes widened as the realization struck her. Damn that Kyuubi.

"Naruto-kun? How are you feeling?" Shizune asked as she saw the boy waking up. He blinked his eyes a few times against the glaring lights above. He sat up, wondering why he was in the nurse's office at his school instead of his own room. He didn't remember coming to school…

"I'm…fine. Why am I here?" he asked with a confused expression.

"You came in here this morning and said you weren't feeling well so I let you sleep for a bit," Tsunade replied from her desk. Naruto tried to think back, but only drew a blank.

"O-okay," he said. He had the feeling she was hiding something. Normally he had a very good memory, and it had been a thing he hated in the past. But it was Tsunade saying it, and she'd never deliberately lied to him before unless it was something unimportant or that he didn't need to know anyway. He'd let it go for now.

Naruto got up and checked himself in the mirror. He didn't remember changing either since the day before, but now he was dressed in blue jeans and an orange long-sleeved, off-the-shoulders shirt with a blue star printed on the left side of it. He ran a hand through his hair and pulled it back into his signature hairstyle of two high pigtails. Satisfied enough with his look, he sighed and turned to Shizune and Tsunade with a smile.

"Thanks for letting me rest for a bit obaa-san," he said. He walked toward the door so he could get to his class, but Tsunade spoke again before he could leave.

"Hey brat. I'm going to try to talk with your mom again, so come visit me after school again. I'll drive you home," she said.

"Alright. I'll see you then Tsunade-obaasan! See you later Shizune-san!" Naruto said as he left.

Tsunade's smile dropped when the boy was out of sight. She waited a few more minutes until she was sure Naruto wouldn't be in the hall any more. Suddenly she stood, grabbed her coat, and said to Shizune without looking at her, "Take over for now. I need to see what Kyuubi did to Yumi-san."

The dark haired woman nodded seriously. In her mind she was worried beyond belief, as was her nature to over exaggerate. But this time she had a right to worry so much. No matter what Naruto's split personality, Kyuubi, did or said (whether it was sarcastic, rude, nice, comforting, or just plain frustrating), he meant to help Naruto. It was the reason he was created. He was created to help Naruto through any trauma he went through, starting with everything Snake had done.

"Yumi-san?" Tsunade called as she rapped her knuckles loudly against the wooden front door. She waited a few seconds before rapping it again. She frowned. Not even an answer.

"Is you don't answer me, I'll come in anyway," she said. She waited again, but there was still no answer. She was beginning to worry even more. "Alright, I'm coming in Yumi-san."

She grabbed the spare key from the same spot she found it last time, and opened the door. Walking in, she found the front hallway dark except for the light coming in through the windows. She kept walking, not bothering to take her shoes off either. She hadn't a clue where Yumi was, so she decided to check every room. It wasn't until she entered the kitchen at the end of the hall that she found the woman. She sat at the table, very still, and seemingly staring off into nothingness. Tsunade approached her cautiously and called very quietly, "Yumi-san?"

The woman's head whipped around to stare at the intruder with wide, watery eyes. She looked a mess, like a lost kicked puppy, only older and with more make-up. Her lips trembled as she breathed the blonde woman's name. Suddenly her eyes narrowed.

"It was you! You're the one that took Naruko away from me!" she accused. She stood from her seat at the table and pointed her finger at the other.

"You keep insisting she's a boy, and your ideas have infected her mind! Now she wants to be a boy! She says her name is Naruto, but I know it's not!" she said hysterically. "She says 'But mom, I'm not a girl, my name's Naruto, not Naruko'! It's only from your influence that she's become like this!"

"Calm down Yumi-san," Tsunade tried to say, but the other wouldn't let her.

"No. You…you and your strange ideas of my perfect little girl being a boy need to stay away from Naruko. I won't let you change her, I won't let you take her away from me!" Yumi cried. Tsunade slapped her, and then grasped her shoulders and shook her gently.

"You need to calm down Yumi-san. I'm not taking him away from you. I haven't influenced him any. He didn't want to tell you, but now he has and you need to listen to what he has to say," she said.

"N-no, but she's not…" Yumi whimpered desperately.

"He is. He is a he. You said he wants to be a boy, and if that's what he wants, you need to let him. He's not going anywhere if you let him be himself, Yumi-san," Tsunade told her. She shook her head slowly then rapidly, wrenching herself from Tsunade's grasp.

"N-no, no! You're lying…!" she cried. She grasped her own arms and hugged herself. "She…Naruko says I'm a bad mother and she doesn't like me, because I'm pretending she's a girl…that I'm living in a fantasy…"

Yumi looked up at the blonde before her with scared eyes. "It's true, isn't it? Am I hurting her Tsunade-chan?"

She didn't give the blonde a chance to answer. She began to back away from the other and hugged herself tighter.

"I am, aren't I? And now, she wants to leave me. But I'm not pretending…I'm not pretending!" she screamed. Suddenly she grasped a large knife from behind her where the larger, sharper knives were stored in a wooden holder. She held it before her, startling Tsunade.

"If she thinks I'm such a bad mother, if she dislikes me so much, she shouldn't care if I'm gone! This should show her just how real I am!" she screamed as she turned the knife upon herself.

"Yumi-san, what are you-!" Tsunade cried.

Before she could react, Yumi had plunged the knife into her chest. Blood poured from the wound that had punctured her heart and Tsuande did her best not to scream as she saw the woman fall to the ground as blood gathered around her, flowing from the wound. She shook at the sight of the blood and her mouth dried. She nearly gagged at the smell, but she knew she had to do something. With trembling hands, she took her cell phone from her pocket and dialed 9-1-1.

"Hello, emergency hotline, what is your crisis?" answered a polite woman.

"Y-yes, he-hello. I have a woman…bleeding to death in front of me," she replied shakily.

"An ambulance will be there right away. Where are you located?"

"At…336 Leaf Drive."

"Alright, thank you. Now I need you to stay on the line with me for now, can you do that? I'm going to have you do some things until the ambulance arrives."

"Ok-kay," Tsunade said. She was trembling badly, and was sincerely wishing that the ambulance would not take long. Yumi had already lost a lot of blood, and she looked pale as Death. Oh God, Yumi…

A/N: Omigosh, this was so intense to me. I had the movie going in my head again, except it was with the last part where Yumi killed herself. Gawd, I'm loving writing this soooo much. I hope you're all enjoying this as much as I am. Sorry if this seems short, but I updated faster! And the next chapter is even part way done! Kyuubi came out for a little bit too. I just had to have him come out at least once in this, and I thought, 'hey! This would probably be the best time for that!' So there he is in all his cocky, sarcastic glory. Personally, I don't think Kyuubi was quite in character, but I had fun writing him that way. I hope you all liked it as well. Thank you soooo much for all the reviews once again. I love you all soo much, and your reviews literally give me energy, even on super bad, blah days when everything just kind of sucks ass. So please review again, I look forward to reading them with anxiousness of your opinions on the chapter.

Disclaimer: still don't own Naruto, for I will never be worthy enough.