Bang for your Buck

by Dailydour

Kyuubi wants revenge, not against the village, but those who wronged him. Naruto's sick of being mistreated and agrees to hunt down his enemies, but it won't be a walk in the park. Naru/Harem.

23. Just Go for It

"Speech"

"Thought"

"Demonic Voice"

"Bijuu thoughts"

Justu

XXXXXXX = Flashback

(A/N: Author Note)

Disclaimer: All rights reserved by the original creator this is a fan production.

Okay ladies and gents enjoy the read.

To Jim: I completely agree with your point killing is something that definitely never comes easy to anyone I'm sure, that being said I didn't want to give every one reading this story the usual 'first kill comfort scene.' Beyond that I wanted people to notice her reaction to not feeling guilt more than anything. We all know how a complete regular person might react to killing, but I wanted to something different. Maybe I should go back and rewrite the scene, please review I'd to hear what you think Jim.

Alright enough of that

XXXXXXX

Chapter 23: Just Go For It

"Wait, wait, this just the liquor," Naruto said as he pushed her off, "I can't let you get thrown into this mess between me and the other girls."

"Dumbass you already told me about the other girls and I don't care," Tayuya said as she punched Naruto in the arm, "besides you seem to be pretty out of it to considering the way you had your hands all over my ass."

"I'm not drunk," Naruto said as he rubbed his arm, "wait, what do you mean you don't care?"

"My mother sold me out, I've been abused by a noble family, been experimented on by an actual mad scientist, been crippled, hunted by my former team mates, and recently some blond dickhead shoved a shitload of demonic chakra into me," Tayuya took a deep breath after her little tirade and looked him dead in the eyes, "and so far besides the steaks, and few good nights of peaceful sleep, you're the best thing that's happened to me."

Naruto couldn't believe his ears. He knew they were friends, more than that now, but he couldn't fathom how largely he'd affected her life. Hadn't he been the same when he'd been alone, even worse since she didn't seem to share his self-destructive tendencies. He really had come far from that angry kid who used to run away from home, who did every dangerous and stupid thing in the book because being exciting was better than being miserable. Now that he thought about he felt an unusual heavy, loose, fuzzy feeling in his limbs, kinda loosy goosy.

"Wait, am I drunk?"

"That's what you taking away from this situation you asshole?!"

"Yup, still a fucking moron…"

XXXXXXX

"It's okay to be uncomfortable," Inoichi said, "we can start whenever you want."

"Can you tell me why I'm here?" Sakura asked as she sat in comfortable chair across from Inoichi, "it would help."

"Of course," Inoichi replied, "It's nothing serious, since the invasion I've been ordered to run these sessions with other ninja to make sure they are mentally stable, particularly those who've experienced something traumatic."

"Oh I see," so that's why she was here, "so I suppose you want to know how I feel about my mother's death."

"We can start there if you want," seeing the look of trepidation on her face Inoichi decided to change the subject, "of course there are other issue we could address first, from your record I see you've already made you first kill."

"My first kill?" Sakura asked, "that hasn't really affected me a lot."

"Really," he was a bit skeptical about that, normally a shinobi's first kill was hard. The person's squad would usually help them deal with, and he or another Yamanaka member would be called in to handle it if the squad felt their teammate was trouble, "It's sometimes hard for someone to admit how a kill has affect them."

"I know but I don't have that problem."

"Okay well can take me through your kill and explain to me what you felt," he could tell this wasn't the usual bravado some other used to hide how they really felt, they often bragged, "It'll help with your evaluation."

"Alright, it was an Ame ninja during the second part of the Chunin exams, they tried to ambush us but we turned the tables on them. We immobilized and questioned them, when we found out that they didn't have what we wanted Naruto killed one of them and ordered me to kill the other."

"Ordered you?"

"He didn't want me freezing up if I ended up killing someone in active battle and getting killed for it." Inoichi nodded and signaled for her to continue.

"The moment before the kill I was extremely anxious and nervous, I thought I wouldn't be able to go through with it," Sakura took a breath as she gathered her nerves, "but when I delivered the blow I didn't feel a thing."

"Nothing?"

"Well no, that isn't right felt bad for not feeling any remorse or guilt for taking a life," Sakura replied, "I know I did something wrong but I couldn't feel wrong about it."

"Interesting," Inoichi said as he jotted that down, "I also know that your team mate Sasuke Uchiha was killed soon after, how did you feel about that."

"Honestly, I was sad, but not the sadness you feel when someone close to you dies," Sakura said as she thought about the best way to describe her feeling, "I supposes the best way to describe it is when you here that a distant relative died, you feel bad that their gone, but you never really knew them, so it nearly impossible to feel more than that."

"But he was your team mate wasn't he?"

"Yes he was but never a friend, I often tried to get close to him, to get him to open up but he never wanted, all he cared about was power and himself, I guess I pitied him as well, he was all alone when he died," Sakura said.

"I see, well do you feel like you can talk about your mother's death now?"

"I'll try," this was actually a hard for her, the wound still felt fresh, "We used to be very close but when my father died she threw herself into her work, but she always tried to make time for me, sometimes she couldn't and that made me mad, she'd always try to make it up to me by buying my favorite ice cream," she began tear up remembering all those time she laugh with her mother over a bowl of ice cream, "she always tried to make it home for dinner to that was out little ritual," she smiled when she remembered all the late night dinners, eating reheated food and telling her mother about her day. "As I grew older I realized how important she was how hard it was for her to make it to dinner on time, but she always tried for me," the tear began flowing more heavily, "during those dinners she wasn't Dr. Haruno, she didn't belong to the hospital, she was mine, my mother." She began to cry as she realized those little moments would never happen again, "I'm sorry Mr. Yamanaka."

Inoichi handed her a tissue, "Don't apologize it's healthy to grieve." He gave her time to calm herself while he jotted down what he had noticed down on her file. When he could see that she was fine he continued, "Besides me is there anyone else you've talked to this about?"

"Yes my friends having been helping and my aunt has taken me, until I've decided what to do about my home."

"Good having people you go to is very healthy, but is there anything else you feel strongly about?"

"Yes there is," Sakura's eyes grew hard, a deadly glint flashing through them, "the Sand ninja's I hate them, I honestly can't believe we're negotiating with those backstabbers, and if I find the one that killed my mother they'll regret it."

"Hmm, I see," Looking own his notes he began to see the picture of where Sakura was right now, "Well Sakura is there anything else you'd like to address?"

"There is one thing."

XXXXXXX

"I'm sorry Tayuya," Naruto said as he rubbed his arm again, "I'm really happy about what you said means a lot that I mean a lot to you, but—"

"Uzumaki the councils summoning you," Naruto sighed as he realized that he would have to put this conversation on hold. "Alright I'm coming, Tayuya I'm sorry but I—"

"I know," Tayuya grasped his hand tightly as she looked up at him, "I meant what I said I don't care as long as you stay in my life and I'm in yours." Naruto felt a big weight fall of his soldiers at her words, he smiled as he planted one last kiss on her, "Thanks."

He made his way to the door and was about to open it before he remembered the lecture the ANBU warden had given him, "The shadows grow…"

"As the leaves burn," the voice on the other side replied. Naruto opened the door glad he remembered the challenge he was supposed to issue, the feeling of joy was short lived as he saw who was on the other side of the door.

"Hey there brat, I'm supposed to take you to the council chambers," Zabuza said before a menacing look came over his face, "and on the way you and me are going to have a long over-due talk about what you're doing with Haku."

"What? Me and Haku a thing no, she's too good for me," Naruto hoped he could convince Zabuza enough for him to drop the angry father act. Especially when that father was a legendary swordsman with a big god damn sword and more confirmed kills than a natural disaster.

"Your right," Zabuza said as held Naruto by his collar, "she is too good for you." Zabuza dropped Naruto on his feet and shoved him forward, "I don't often meddle in her business she's a big girl, and I don't really care where this relationship between you two leads, but you hurt her and you're gonna learn why they call me the Demon of the Mist. Now come on the council's waiting."

XXXXXXX

The rest of the trip had been spent in an uncomfortable silence and Naruto was thankful, for once, to be inside the council's chamber, "Naruto Uzumaki glad to finally see you here." A few of the members smiled knowing how difficult the young man standing in front of them could be, "This council has been debating what to do with you ever since we learned of you control over the Kyuubi's chakra."

"It seems the decision has been taking from our hands as Lord Jiraiya has decided to take you under his wing," Councilor Homura said, Naruto could've leapt in joy, but Homura kept on speaking, "however when you return from this trip you are to demonstrate to this council a degree of control that is satisfactory to us or else we'll take you off the active roster and confine you to the village until we deem you're control satisfactory."

"Oh today just gets better and better," of course someone would want him to be able to control the Kyuubi's chakra when their having their little spat. Still it was better than the alternative of confinement or outright imprisonment, "Thank you honorable council I'll do my best."

"See that you do boy."

XXXXXXX

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Naruto waited for Haku to open the door, he'd been putting this talk off for a long time but it been months since he'd stopped the fight that had broken out between Haku and Tomoko. He had to stop being a coward and give them an answer, it wasn't fair to either of them.

"Naruto?" He looked up to find Haku staring at him questioningly, "Did you want something?"

"Hmm, yeah I came over to talk to you about something important," Haku nodded and let him in.

"Okay I was just cooking lunch would you like some?"

"No it's fine I'd hate to put you out."

"It's no problem there's more than enough," Haku smiled from kitchen, and it struck him how pretty she looked right now, "I insist."

"Well I don't want to be rude," Naruto took a seat and twiddled his thumbs as he thought about how to approach such a sensitive subject. What could he really say in this situation, part of him wanted to be with Haku and another didn't want to because it might hurt those close to him. God he sounded pretty conceited, like him not being with one of the girls would devastate them. Now that he thought about he was sure that they could find someone else.

"Somebody else," this was the first time that he'd ever had that thought, that they could be happy with someone else, but that though made his chest tighten. It was selfish it really was but he wanted to be the one to make them happy, not some fucking stranger. God what was the matter with him isn't this part where he's supposed to say he wants them to be happy no matter what, but it did matter it mattered a lot. It was selfish but he wanted to be selfish with them, "Listen Haku I know we haven't talked about what happened a couple months back and that's because I've been a chicken shit about the whole thing, but with everything that's happened I realized that I can't keep avoiding it."

"So what does that mean?" it'd been hard to deal with these feeling at one point she'd gotten tired of waiting for him and gone on a few dates. They were nice but she hadn't felt that spark with any of them. That first kiss, the innocent one shared in the trees on their mission was still the best one she'd had, "Are we-MMPH!"

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as Naruto's lips crashed against hers and then she leaned into it. She'd wondered if she would feel that spark if they kissed again and she wasn't disappointed. When the teens were done playing tonsil hockey Naruto held her close as he came to a decision, "I'm a selfish asshole but for whatever reason the world is throwing these great girls at me and I'm not letting one get away, you hear that you fucking world I'm going to make this work!"

"So I guess that said it all," Haku said as she smiled at him.

"How the fuck am I going to make this work!" saying was one thing doing was another, "Well not quite I-uh-I-hehe-I," what was he doing this was insane! "Just fucking go for it!"

"I don't want to give up on Sakura and Tomoko."

"What?"

"And I made out with Tayuya."

"…Get out," Haku shoved him away and pointed at the door anger all over her face, "Get out right now!"

"Haku wait-"

"Get out!" She grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to door, opened it and tossed him out on his ass.

SLAM!

"Haku! Please let me explain!" Naruto banged on the door pleading with her to open it. He kept pleading and hollering at the top of his lungs until he realized that it was futile, "Fine but I'm not giving up!" He leaned his head against the door as he tried to figure how to say what he wanted to say.

"Because I know, I fucking know that I'm falling in love with you and Sakura, and Tomoko, and Tayuya! And even if I had to spend the rest of my life proving that to you and the others I don't care because I want that!" He stared at the door hoping it would open but after fifteen minutes he knew nothing was going to happen. He leaned against the door and prayed that she heard this, "I'm won't give up on you Haku…"

Naruto walked home ready to let his new found vulnerability to liquor put him to sleep, he couldn't wait for this day to be over.

As Naruto ponder on how he was actually going to do this Haku was curled up on her couch, "Damn it Naruto." Tears streamed down her eyes as she felt her emotions all over the place, "What're you doing to me."

XXXXXXX

"So what's your analysis of Sakura, Inoichi?" Tsunade had hoped it'd be good news but from the way Inoichi held himself she could tell she was receiving some bad news, "well out with it."

"Well it's troubling," Inoichi doubled checked his notes just to make sure he was one hundred percent about this, "she seems to have some problems stemming from her mother's death and it's created friction between her and the village of Suna not only that but she had no problem killing others."

"Explain."

"Her emotions about her mother and her team mate Naruto were genuine, Naruto had a positive effect on her as did her mother and she wants to protect them," Tsunade nodded remembering how ferociously the young woman fought Kabuto, "and yet she has no problem killing, she feels nothing for any of the men she's killed, while normally in our line of work this would be a blessing I'm worried that it might slip into other facets outside of her job."

"That's pretty farfetched Inoichi."

"Is it," Inoichi said as he laid a piece of paper in front of her, "Isn't this a report about her incident with the Suna diplomats."

Konoha Incident Report:

Haruno, Sakura

Shinobi Reg#: 012601

Haruno was restrained by a superior officer for attempting to attack the Suna delegates as they entered the village. When questioned about the incident Haruno answered that she was attacking what she thought were enemies of the village. However all shinobi and kunoichi were informed of the upcoming talks, but due to the recent invasion the I, the superior officer, let her off with a warning and promise of suspension or dishonorable discharge and imprisonment if another incident occurred. Following the filing of this report I recommend that Haruno be seen sooner by Inoichi Yamanaka than her appointed date.

Kakashi Hatake

Tsunade sighed as she set the report down, "God damn this girl's going be trouble"

XXXXXXX

Alright hoped you all liked the chapter and if this story isn't to your liking I just posted another chapter to Deal with the Hyuuga Clan, so go check it out and tell me how I did.

Next chapter I'm thinking it's time Naruto and Gaara meet again and tell me what you think about Sakura's part in this chapter.