JOHNtheSILENT

I think you're on to something dude. I think that is where kishi is heading. I don't see him dropping sage mode to have naruto just be a jinchuuriki (however you spell it) and in the same way I don't see him keeping sage mode and ignoring it now that he's accepted what he is. I think naruto will combine the two and that's how he will face madara and sasuke. Evidence points me here, remember his eyes?

http://www.onemanga.com/Naruto/444/06/

I think that's what I said, "Does that mean Sakura carries Naruto." At least that's what I meant. Sakura giving Naruto a piggy back ride, head next to her head, him breathing on her neck... you know, that kind of thing.

Kakashi carries Karin{I think. Ohana seems to have made a typo}: "We're taking you to Konoha... Behave now, okay?"
Karin: "It's not like I can do anything right now..." ("So this guy's Uzumaki Naruto, huh...")

So if Kakashi is carrying Karing, does that mean Sakura gets to carry Naruto. I think that might be promising... they get to be reeeeally close.

Did anyone else get the "fight on the hospital roof vibe"?

I could totally see an epic Kakashi vs Sasuke fight. It ends by Kakashi and Sasuke power up chidori and lunging at one another, and sage naruto flying in at the last second and deflecting both their attacks.

Think about it, Naruto is speeding there, Sakura is watching, and Kakashi even flashes back to the hospital moment. I really think that could happen. Then everyone fills naruto in... though I'm not sure what he'll do at this point.

Also, I was happy to see the brief hesitation and then resolve in Sakura. As was said before, it makes her more human. But I think this purged her of all doubt and now she is ready to become the heroine.

Or, we might get to see what power Itachi gave to Naruto. I can't forget that.

Also, I've been reading and wading through the pessimism, and so I might of missed it, but what if Naruto is lying here, and not Sakura. What if Sakura is indeed telling the truth, but is just nervous and flubs it up. But Naruto, being the self sacrificing hero he is, worries about her. If she's with me, she might get hurt. If she's with me and I die, she'll be heart broken and alone and I don't want that to happen. If she's with me...etc etc. What if he's telling her she's deluding herself to keep her away, so he can protect her. This isn't an uncommon theme in manga. The hero wants to protect the heroine, by keeping her away.

But then he usually realizes with outside help that he's hurting her more by keeping her away than by being with her with the potential of her getting hurt, so he should get over it. And then they eventually get together through a bit more angst, tears, pain, etc. And we already "know" according to the spoilers that Kakashi and Yamato are watching over the conversation, and they will probably run interference in the case of Naruto being dumb, or Sakura getting broken hearted and thinking about giving up (then they could probably tell her, he worked for your feelings and fought for you for a long time now, if you really care you'd do the same for him now) or something.

Then there's Gaara too....

Just don't lose hope, the plot is on our side!