Sasuke rushed through the woods and neared the village, he knew that they would waiting for him. 'Naruto...please, hang on...' Sasuke thought to himself. Sasuke stood at gates and there they all stood, waiting for him. Sasuke clenched his fists, he knew he couldn't hurt them, he was going to keep his promise. "Sasuke..." Sakura said. "Why can't you just leave us alone?!" Sasuke yelled, shaking. "We are sick of you poisoning him with your lies!" Sakura yelled. Sasuke dropped his weapons and put his hands up. "Do with me what you will, I'm not going to hurt any of you." Sasuke said. Everyone widened their eyes and Sakura went right for him and punched him with all of her strength, she didn't stop. The others just stared at her, she was crying, she wouldn't stop hitting him. "Sakura..." Tsunade whispered. "You ruined him! You ruined the sunshine of our village!" Sakura screamed, her voice going hoarse. Sasuke just took it, letting the punches come.
As Sakura threw her fist back, it was grabbed and she was thrown backwards. Naruto stood in front of Sasuke, breathing heavily. "Naruto!" Kakashi said, shocked. "Naruto, stay back..." Sasuke coughed, his voice was cracking. "No, I will not let them take you from me!" Naruto said, tears falling down his face. "All of you...you don't care about me at all...you have betrayed me. You want to take the only thing that makes me happy away from me." Naruto said. "You've lost your mind Naruto! He's just going to leave you again, what's going to happen then?" Sakura yelled. "No! You're wrong. Sasuke came all this way, knowing what was waiting for him when he got here, to save me. We need each other." Naruto yelled. Sakura ran towards them and stopped short when she heard Tsunade yell. "Sakura stop!" Tsunade screamed. Sakura looked up and saw Naruto with a kunai to his throat. "If you kill him...you're going to have to kill me too." Naruto said, pressing the kunai into his throat. "Naruto...please...no..." Sasuke said, forcing himself to stand up, blood dripping from him. "You think I'm afraid to die?" Naruto asked them all. They all stared at him and watched as he pulled Sasuke to his side. "Naruto...put the kunai down...please. This isn't you anymore..." Sasuke said, tears in his eyes. "I can't live without you Sasuke..." Naruto said, looking to him.
"Naruto..." Tsunade whispered with tears in her eyes. They all saw the determination in Naruto's eyes. He was ready to end his life in a second. "We want you to be here with us..." Kakashi said, looking at his two students. "Sasuke needs to be here with me." Naruto said. "No! This isn't happening!" Sakura yelled and rushed towards the two. "NO!" everyone screamed. Kakashi and Sai pulled Sakura back. Sasuke grabbed the kunai from Naruto's hand and climbed on top of him, protecting him.
Tsunade rushed to the boys side. "Naruto!" she yelled and looked at his neck. "Sasuke..." she whispered when she saw the kunai in his hand. Sasuke was crying. "You are not going back to that state ever again, you hear me?!" Sasuke yelled at Naruto. "I love you Naruto, your soul is far to beautiful for you to leave this earth. You can't sacrifice your life because of me." Sasuke said, tears dripping down on top Naruto's shirt. "Sasuke..." Naruto whispered and cupped his face. "I never left your side, even before we spoke that night...I couldn't stop worrying about you, I couldn't get you out of my head...and when I watched you in that hospital bed, wishing you were dead...I was hoping it was just some terrible dream, but it wasn't. I did that to you and I honestly don't deserve you...but I can't live without you either." Sasuke said. Naruto kissed him hard as tears ran down his face. Naruto looked over at Tsunade who was crying with her face in her hands, he sat up and embraced her tight. She hugged him so tight, she didn't want to let go. "Naruto...whatever it takes...I will make sure you and Sasuke can live here together in peace." Tsunade cried. Naruto looked at his former comrades, disbelief still written on their faces. Sakura was hysterical as struggled to get free. Naruto stood up and walked over to Sakura and got down to her level. "Stop crying." Naruto said. Sakura looked up at him. "Sakura, you are my best friend and I love you, you helped me through the darkest days of my life and I can't thank you enough for that...but you need to let me go, you need to let me do what I need to do to keep my sanity." Naruto said. Sakura just looked at him, crying harder. Naruto suddenly embraced her. "Please Sakura...let me finally have my peace...the peace you wished so much that I could have had back then. No more nights plagued with anxiety attacks, no more suicide attempts. Isn't that what you want for me?" Naruto asked. "Of course I do...just not from him...after all he's done." Sakura whispered. "I know...but you need to forgive him...like I am forgiving you right now. I know your heart is in the right place. I want you in my life Sakura, but you have to be willing to try and get past this hatred for Sasuke." Naruto said, looking into her eyes. Sakura finally realized that Naruto hadn't been manipulated by Sasuke, this was him. He was still forgiving her and trying to come to a peaceful compromise. "I understand now Naruto...you never changed who you really are...you're still in there...and Sasuke just helps bring them to light...I can try to get past this, but it's going to take some time." Sakura said, Kakashi and Sai finally let her go and she hugged him tight. "Please...never leave here again." Sakura cried.
Naruto turned to Sasuke, who was bruised and swollen from Sakura's punches. Naruto went to him and took his hand. "Will you stay here with me?" Naruto asked. Sasuke grabbed his other hand and smiled at him. "I would move mountains for you if I could." Sasuke said and kissed Naruto. And just like that, Naruto's fellow teammates ran to their side and embraced Naruto and even Sasuke.
Sasuke looked to Sakura, whose eyes were looking at the ground. He approached her and smiled at her. "Sasuke..." Sakura said, her voice shook. Sasuke suddenly hugged her. "Thank you for taking care of him...thank you for keeping him safe...thank you for caring about him when I lacked the ability to." Sasuke said. Sakura spilled tears and slowly hugged Sasuke back. She could see how genuine Sasuke was being, something she never thought she would see from him.
Together, they all walked into the village. Naruto and Sasuke hand in hand, leading their way into their home. Tsunade treated Sasuke's injuries and lead them to the Uchiha compound. "Sasuke...how do you feel about living here?" Naruto asked. "I can do it, it's time to move past the anger and accept what is." Sasuke smiled and they walked through the village together, to Sasuke's former home. "It's our home now." Sasuke said and opened the door.