'Naruto-kun?'
'Hmm'
'What will you do when I die?'

About a month ago she had suddenly asked that question. It startled him. But then again he could understand. She was probably thinking about her father again. Their relationship was just tightening when he breathed his last breath. But Hiashi-sama was old, she was not…

'Hinata! You've a whole life ahead, why do you ask me!'
'Why not? Death is probably human's worst enemy. When it comes you can't stop it…'

She was right. A week after they had this conversation, she and her team were ambushed by the enemy. Her teammates barely survived, Hinata did not…

'So, Naruto-kun, I'm asking you one more time, what will you do when I die?'
'… I will probably die too…'

Naruto's world collapsed indeed. He couldn't believe she was no longer around and he blamed himself. He shouldn't have send her on the mission. It would be a dangerous mission, he knew that, but she kept on saying that someone had to go, whether it was her or some other, this mission had to be done. In the end he gave in…

'You shouldn't'
'But Hinata! I can't imagine a life without you, how can I ever live on?'
'Please, Naruto-kun, live on…'

Naruto bend down and touched the part of the monument were Hinata's name was recently carved out.

'You should live on to protect the village…'

Below Hinata's name some other names were already carved out. And although he didn't recognize the names, it were his people too. After all he was the hokage…

'Your friends…'

Shino and Kiba were recovering fast. They were affected by Hinata's dead, but they carried on. Just as Naruto's other friends… Neji and Hanabi, Sasuke and Sakura, Chouji and Ino, Shikamaru and Temari, Lee and Tenten, Gaara and Kankurou, Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi, Kakashi, Iruka and Gai, Asuma and Kurenai, and all the others…

'And our son…'

Naruto got back on his feet.
'Arashi, let's go back.'
The little boy nodded taking his father's hand.

'So Naruto-kun, please promise me, when I die, just live on…'
'…'
'Naruto-kun?'
'I promise…'

'Arashi?'
'Yes dad?'
'Are you hungry?'
'Yes, I am!'
'Right then! Let's go eat some ramen!'
The little boy beamed with joy. 'Yeah!'

To live on without her was hard, but he had to, after all to keep a promise was Naruto's way of being a ninja…