bNaruto lie in his bed as he thought back over the last few days. He had been through so much, and had learned so much. Hinata… Kiba…/b

Naruto moved slowly on his way back from training. Today had been tough and he was tired. He didn't even have the energy to stop at Ichiraku's. However, as he passed an inlet of bushes he heard a quiet scream.

"No… please," a familiar voice begged.

Naruto stopped for a second as a second voice grunted angrily.

"Not there… don't…" the voice rang quietly, "please…"

"You know you want it…" the second voice said.

What the hell was going on? He moved back to where the voices were coming from, hanging from a tree. Two members of Team 8 were standing against a tree, Kiba pushing Hinata against a tree.

"K-Kiba-kun… please… stop," Hinata whined as Kiba's hands moved around her body slowly, touching her inappropriately. Naruto didn't want to get involved yet; he doubted Kiba would really do anything.

"Why don't you love me?" he asked mockingly as he unzipped her jacket.

"Kiba-kun? Please… not my…" she begged him. His hand gripped around her fairly large breast.

"What does Naruto have that I don't?" Kiba asked, his voice slowly becoming bitter. What did he mean by that?

"N-nothing… he just…" Hinata was cut off by Kiba's lips forcefully on hers. He moved his hands lower.

"Just pretend I'm Naruto," Kiba said as his hand delved into her pants.

"N-no!" she said, forcefully, but still too quiet for anyone but herself, Kiba, and Naruto to hear.

"Kiba! What the hell are you doing to Hinata!?" Naruto finally asked, having seen enough.

"Oh, if it isn't Hinata's 'Naruto-kun'!" Kiba spat angrily as he turned around. "Akamaru!" Kiba called as the large white dog jumped from behind Naruto, pinning him to the ground. "Your Naruto sure is strong now, huh?" Kiba asked as he turned back to Hinata.

He pulled the pants around Hinata's thighs, revealing her virgin cunt. He also ripped the rest of her shirt open, pulling her breasts out.

"Kiba! Why the hell are you doing this!?" Naruto screamed angrily from under the canine.

"Shut him up, Akamaru!" Kiba shouted back as he pulled his piece out of his own pants. "Now Hinata, how would you like it?"

"You bastard!" Naruto screamed as he stood up, throwing Akamaru off of his back as if he was nothing. His eyes glowed red. "How dare you touch Hinata like that!" He leapt at his former comrade as his claws grew to an enormous size.

Kiba turned to get out of the way and tripped as Naruto landed on him. He dug his claws deep into the throat of the Inuzuka, ending his life abruptly.

He panted roughly as his anger soothed slightly and he stood up straight. His eyes returned to their blue and his nails became normal as he turned to Hinata, who was still against the tree, almost naked, staring disbelievingly at the bloody mess on the ground that used to be Kiba.

"H-Hinata…" Naruto said, scared. He turned away from her. "I… I didn't see anything… Please, put your clothes on."

Hinata continued to stare at the sight but obeyed Naruto and pulled her pants up and her shirt on as best as she could.

"I'm… I'm sorry…" Naruto said as he turned around, slowly. "I…" he didn't know what to say. He turned back and leapt away quickly.

"Arigato, Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered to herself as she hurried off to fetch a medical ninja for Kiba.

bWhat had he done that night? He killed his friend. Even though Kiba was being violent and aggressive, and even very inappropriate, did he deserve death? Could Naruto have stopped himself if it weren't for the Kyuubi at all?/b

That night Naruto hurried home, and cried himself to sleep. What had he done?

Kiba was dead. Naruto knew it; he could tell, remembering the feeling of his flesh from his neck in his hands and the blank look of death on his face. He had left Akamaru with Kiba's body.

The next day, Naruto went directly to the Hokage, Tsunade. When he began to tell her about what happened, she told him that she knew. She said that Hinata had told her; said that Hinata had seen the whole thing and was ready to testify in court for it.

Would Naruto end up in jail now?

Tsunade continued to explain that he would be put on trial for murder, and could be kept in a holding cell in the basement of the Hokage's mansion. She didn't think he would be charged but he had to do it to make the higher-ups happy.

Naruto nodded and moved to where she showed him he had to stay. He sulked in the corner for the days before the trial.

He was told that Hinata tried to visit him several times, but he kept refusing to see her. He wondered if she thought he was a monster now.

Since that night, he had been enthralled by her. She was beautiful, and refused to defend herself against Kiba, not wanting to hurt him… like Naruto had. He curled in a ball in the corner of his cell.

What would he do if he ended up in prison? Could he handle a shinobi prison?

"Hey, Naruto," a familiar voice rang through his cell. "Hinata is here to see you again,"

Naruto didn't answer.

The guard walked up to his cell. "Ho, Naruto, Hinata-chan wants to see you really bad, please let her," Konohamaru said. He was the only one Naruto would allow to see him.

Naruto didn't answer but he turned around.

"If you don't say anything I'm letting her in here," Kono announced.

Naruto still refused to speak as his sorrowful eyes locked onto Konohamaru's menacingly.

"Okay, fine…" Konohamaru said as he turned and left. Minutes later he returned with Hinata.

bNaruto could hardly stand to remember that day, that time. He had to face Hinata that time. It had felt like hell when she first arrived. /b

"Naruto-kun?" she asked as she spotted him. When he didn't answer she did herself. "You don't have to talk to me," she whimpered. Was she crying? He had already hurt her again? "I just… I just want to thank you," he turned his head to see her, spotting tears glistening from her cheek. "You… you saved me, and…" Naruto turned around completely to see her now. "I just… I always wanted to… to say… I… I… I love… you, Naruto-kun," she said as she lowered her head.

"Hinata?" Naruto asked quietly. She lifted her head to listen intently. "You don't… hate me?"

"Of course not!" Hinata said sternly. "I've… always loved you…" she lowered her head again, as if she was embarrassed.

"H-Hinata…" Naruto began. Even if she didn't think he had to, he did. "I… I'm sorry…"

"For what!?" Hinata asked suddenly.

"For not… stopping him sooner," Naruto said. "It's my fault it got so out-of-hand."

"No it's not," Hinata said, still keeping a stern tone. "If it weren't for you… I might… I might… have…" Another tear rolled down her cheek as she sobbed. "Arigato!" She fell forward, leaning on the bars of the cell.

Naruto stood up and walked forward to her, slowly grabbing her hand. "I… I think… I love you too…" he whispered, almost hoping she couldn't hear him.

Hinata smiled through her tears as she laughed. She looked up at him and leaned forward again, motioning for a kiss. Naruto took the hint and leaned in as well, catching her lips between the bars of the cell.

It lasted only seconds, perhaps only ia/i second, but it was the best moment of Naruto's life until that point.

bNaruto smiled to himself as he sat up from his bed. He walked out of his room and sat on his couch, putting his arm around the woman watching TV from it. He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the cheek, warranting a giggle as she turned and allowed his lips to capture hers./b